Brian O'Conner, Semper Fidelis
by McGarrett-Williams
Summary: After the LA SNAFU, Brian spent some time away as a Marine. How will it affect him when he returns to the States? (There will be an at least 9 year time window between the events of first movie and the events of 2nd, 4th and 5th movies). Currently rated T, but possible to go up to M.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: Brian O'Conner, Semper Fidelis (Brian O'Conner, Always Faithful)**

**Status:** Work in Progress

**Pairing(s):** Brian O'Conner/Mia Toretto (UST, reconciliation in later chapters), hinted Dom/Letty

**Categories:** Alternate Universe

**Genres:** Adventure, Angst, Drama, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort

**Episode:** Picks up at the end of The Fast and The Furious - in 2001.

**Rating:** Teen, but may change to Mature

**Warnings:** Violence

**Summary:** After LA, Brian spent many years in the Marine Corps before returning to the States.

* * *

**Chapter 1**

**Prologue, nine years earlier**

Brian saw Dom get into the Supra and drive away from the scene. Just a second later, the police arrived on the scene. Several officers were now running towards him with their guns drawn.

He was brought in for processing. Then he was told to write the review on the failed case, explaining everything, because now there would be an Internal Affairs investigation. Like the LAPD, and especially Rampart Division wasn't already in deep shit after the CRASH anti-gang unit corruption.

Two hours later, he was eventually released from the processing, and caught a bus back to his house. Heck, it wasn't really his. He had been renting it for the last eight months after he left his former rental place, which was a total dump at South Pasadena.

Before Brian could get into the house, he however saw a paper taped on the door. Apparently, Brian had forgotten to pay his rent for the last three months, and so the landlord was now threatening with eviction if he didn't pay up soon. He snorted at the prospect of having another problem. Like he already didn't have enough problems. He thought back to the drive-by.

Jesse had been hit by Tran. He was now probably on his way to the hospital, if not dead already. Brian prayed that he wouldn't be dead. Dom was now gone with the Supra, so were Letty and Leon. Vince was probably also at some hospital, while Mia was left behind to deal with the aftermath.

As for Brian, things were even much worse. Everybody hated him now. He had not thought about his career and had let Dom escape. He had felt like he was part of the family. But now his newfound family surely hated him for trying to turn them in to the cops.

Roman hadn't been around for many years now, but he surely hated him too. It happened just five years ago, when Brian was just fresh of the police academy. And ironically, just then some cops busted into a garage where Rome happened to be. And they found eight stolen cars. At the court, the judge sentenced Rome to five years in Centinela. While Brian had nothing to do with his arrest, Rome didn't care. For him, Brian was a cop, and cops were the enemies of Roman Pearce. Of course, once Brian had visited Rome in jail, but Rome had yelled at Brian to get lost and that he never wanted to see Brian again. So much of their friendship.

The cops hated him definitely very much. He hadn't really been a model cop and his methods were sometimes questionable, but he still managed to get the job done and bring the suspects into custody. While he'd have problems with getting some promotions and wouldn't probably make it to the Chief of Police because he didn't have the necessary college degree, he could still become a Captain at most, if not a Commander. But after the undercover opration gone wrong, there wouldn't be a chance now. The LAPD probably now hated him for breaking the oath and proving that he wasn't loyal at all.

If Brian would get convicted of going native on his first and also last UC operation, obstruction of justice and aiding wanted criminals to escape custody, his life would be already over. Unlike Rome, he wouldn't be so lucky to get Centinela. He'd be facing something even worse, maybe Folsom. There he wouldn't survive for long. Hated by other prisoners, and guards, he'd be left alone to fend for himself. Unless he managed to escape, but it wouldn't be that likely. Yeah, Folsom wasn't really San Quentin but escape wouldn't be quite possible. Unless a prison riot would break out and he managed to escape in the process. If he was lucky, he'd only get fired or demoted. If demoted, he'd be sent to patrol in Compton or Inglewood ghettos, which were surely full of street gangs, be they African, Latino, Asian, whatever. There, gangbangers, prostitution and drugs were part of everyday life.

Brian had been quite wild during his teenage years in Barstow, and even had been to juvenile once. But at the age of 19 he was a very promising young officer who had just graduated from the Police Academy. Sure, he was still quite underage, but he had lied himself two years older to the cops. And now, while only a few months short of his twenty-fifth birthday, he had become a dirty cop under investigation.

Just a month short of his 20th birthday (or 22nd, according to his lies), he finally became Police Officer 1st Grade. And by the time he was 21 (or 23), he became Officer 2nd Grade. At the age of 23½, he was Officer Third Grade. Even though he surely wasn't a by-the-book officer and phrase „proper police procedure" was Chinese to him, he could still get the job done and suspects brought to custody. So some time after his 24th birthday, he caught the eye of his Sergeant. He was offered a choice of completing a truck heists' case, in which case he would recieve a very useful commendation to become a Detective 1st Grade. Life had taught him to seize the opportunity, so he took the chance.

He also didn't have any family left. His mom had moved six feet under eight years ago, when he was in the juvie. His dad hadn't been around in his life at all, his only family was his mom. And even she had fallen out of touch with her family. So it was just her and Brian. And now she was dead.

Only thing he could do now was running away. However, it would not be quite a wise option. Eventually, cops would catch up with him and charges would only grow on his list.

There was only one thing to do now. Prepare for Internal Affairs investigation and see the results.

However, Brian was now sure that maybe a cop career wasn't what he really wanted. So he went to the kitchen to make himself some dinner. After that, he'd go to a internet café to write and print out a resignation letter.

* * *

Five days later, Brian sat before the review panel, dressed in his uniform. Behind the large escritoire sat John Alfredson, the FBI LA office director, then Rampart Division commanding officer, Commander Kevin Henderson. To Brian's left sat FBI agent Bilkins with his superiors. Tanner sat on Brian's right.

Ever since the failed case, Brian had lost all of his friends in the LAPD. Nobody wanted to be associated with him now, even Tanner had distanced himself from Brian, not wanting to be part of any controversy on his side. Yet some of his former friends made fun of him.

The IA had already examined his report for the investigation. Now they had to make a decision.

„Officer O'Conner, please stand," the Chief began. „We have been investigating your conduct while you were undercover. You were chosen for this assignment based on your law enforcement experience. You were supposed to infiltrate the Toretto crew to find out who were behind the truck hijackings, collect evidence and set up the sting, for which you could earn your Detective badge. However, not only you failed to bring in the target for processing, you also jeopardized the mission and blew your cover, failed to secure relevant evidence and let yourself be influenced by your emotions. All this has allowed the suspects to flee our custody and thus the whole year of work on the undercover case has completely gone down the drain. This is not how we expect from an undercover officer to do his job. We need to decide what to do with you."

Fifteen minutes later, the board members came back into the room.

„Alright, we have made our decision. Officer O'Conner, your application for promotion to Detective First Grade is hereby denied. You will also be demoted back to Officer First Grade and fired from the Los Angeles Police Department with a letter of reprimand, without the possibility of returning. Hand in your badge and your gun."

Brian did as he was told. He unclipped the badge from his chest and dropped it on the table along with his gun.

„Go clean your locker, O'Conner, and you're free to leave."

Brian did just as he was told. Some five minutes later he had just cleaned out his locker and prepared to leave the Police Department, when he was suddenly caught by Tanner.

„Was it all really necessary, O'Conner?" Tanner asked. „You got caught by his charisma. I thought it would happen but I didn't think you would surrender to this. Well, I was wrong about you. But what the heck. You're off the force anyway, so it's not my problem anymore. You're on your own now." Now Tanner walked away from Brian, leaving him standing alone.

* * *

Having left his empty rental house for one last time, Brian got into his Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4, which was now fully loaded with all the stuff, and drove off to Interstate 10. He drove to Ontario, where he turned northbound to Interstate 15. Another 70 miles and he arrived in his hometown. Barstow.

Barstow is a small desert town in San Bernardino County. It was founded when Johnny came marching home in October 1947. However, there are many places in the city that are older.

The High School opened already in 1916. Southern Pacific station was already built in 1880s. From its foundation, Barstow's economy has been dependant on transportation and logistics. During the Route 66 era, it was an important stop on the route. However, even on the Interstates era, things haven't changed much about it. Barstow is the last biggest stop in Califronia, before the I-15 crosses to Nevada. Also, it's Barstow where the Interstate 40 begins.

However, lately the town's economy is more dependent on the military. There's the Marine Corps Logistics Base in town, and the biggest employers are still the nearby military installations: Edwards Air Force Base to the west, Fort Irwin in the north and 29 Palms Marine Base in the southeast.

Barstow has also been the home of Brian until he got eighteen. In the mid-1970s, his mother wasn't really a hippie or a Charles Manson admirer, but she was still quite rebellious.

Melanie O'Conner had been a native of Fresno, and the youngest of six siblings. However, she was only sixteen when she suddenly met the Mystery Man. He could have been a soldier, a trucker, whoever, nobody knew, because he didn't stick along quite long.

Anyway, one day Melanie found out she was pregnant. Her parents and older siblings weren't quite happy with this, and demanded that she get an abortion. After all, since the Roe case passed in 1973, which was just some 2-3 years ago, it was now legal, in California at least. However, Melanie had refused to get an abortion and so her family decided to disown her for disloyalty.

So Melanie ran away by hitchhiking. She had wanted to go to Las Vegas, but somehow ended up in Barstow. Nevertheless, despite being only sixteen, she still managed to find work as a waitress in a sleazy bar and get a cheap room in a quite run-down hotel.

It was September 12, 1976. Melanie had been three months in Barstow when she gave birth to her baby. A son whom she named Brian. Eventually, during one of her nightly workings at the bar, she got into an argument with Asshole Adam, as she said. Adam was the bar owner and after an argument, she ended up getting abusively raped by him, while he also tried to force her to become a prostitute. It was time for payback. One night, she secretly followed Adam home, then spiked his beer. After Adam drank it, Melanie had arranged Adam to sign his possessions over to her. He was too wasted to care about what was going on and so he did it. Adam wasn't really the brightest person around. So he then went to his own bar, and being very drunk, provoked a bar fight, and got killed in the fight.

However, Brian's young con artist mother had now secured herself a much better life. While she didn't now become the bar owner, she continued as the waitress, but also started gambling.

They weren't surely a normal nuclear family, but were still there for each other. And even though Melanie was a gambler and con artist, Brian still saw her as a good mom, as she always had time for him.

However, at the age of fifteen, Brian was caught boosting a car and was sent to juvenile. In juvie he met Roman Pearce. Roman was born and raised in Birmingham. Alabama's largest city, where blacks were a majority. But he got into too much trouble in Sweet Home Alabama, so he was sent to live his with uncle Tommy in Barstow. But even there he kept getting into trouble, so in the end, he eventually got sent to juvenile where he met Brian.

Even though Brian was supposed to be sent to juvenile for two years, he was released after one year, when he was seventeen. Apparently, there were some sad news for him. His mother had been fatally injured in a car crash, leaving this world at a very tender age of thirty-three.

At her funeral, Brian suddenly realized that it was the first time he was alone in this world. There was nothing for him to do. He barely managed to graduate high school with a GPA barely above 1.0. After all, he was mostly a D- grade underachiever and slacker. However, at Algebra his grades were almost always F's, he rarely got any D's. Same could have been said for Science and Biology. Yet at English, PE and History, he was a straight-A student.

Some months later, Brian eventually left Barstow and moved to LA. There he visited a shrink, and after having a talk of him never growing up, he eventually decided for the cop career. The career at which he now, after five years, had failed miserably.

Brian now drove to his house at 35267 Walnut Street. Still the one his mother had once cheated out of the Asshole Adam. The thousand square feet house was built the same year when in D.C., General Ike had to move out of the White House to be replaced by JFK and the Berlin Wall was built.

He'd try to live in Barstow for a while, then he'd make up his life.

* * *

It had been ten weeks since the fuckup with the police and Brian still found himself in Barstow. He was still living as a street racer. While racing scene in Barstow was quite paper thin and he couldn't afford going back to LA where everyone hated him, he'd usually drive either 150 miles on Interstate 15 to Vegas or 350 miles on I-40 to Flagstaff, AZ to look for races. Mostly he'd go to Vegas, though, because it was closer.

At 5.35 AM on Tuesday morning, Brian woke up with a feeling that he had hit his head hard. As he opened his eyes, he noticed that last night he had fell asleep in the garage.

Brian quickly got up from the hard garage floor and went to the bathroom to take a shower. He briefly glanced at the calendar. It was Tuesday, September 11. After the shower, Brian went to kitchen for some breakfast and turned on the TV.

Five minutes later, he suddenly heard an explosion, and looked at the TV. He saw that currently the live news coverage from New York was on. As it seemed, just fifteen minutes ago American Airlines Flight 11 en route from Boston to LA had been hijacked and flown into the World Trade Center North Tower. Brian watched this in shock and awe, but two minutes later he saw another plane crash into the South Tower.

Around 35 minutes later, Brian got more shocking news. Apparently, in the Capital, another plane had crashed into Pentagon. And 25 minutes later, another plane crashed into field at Shanksville, Pennsylvania. There was no doubt, it was a terrorist attack.

Suddenly Brian began to feel very insecure. The world was not quite safe anymore, and any moment there might be a chance that now there might happen attacks also on the West Coast where he was. Better get out of there while he's still alive. Also, seeing that he had left behind a total SNAFU in LA and had made many enemies, it would be best for him if he got away from there for a while. Then he got another thought. A thought that would change his life for several years.

_What did America do to deserve all this?_ Brian asked himself. He could hear the call of duty inside him once again. But this time, to join the Marine Corps, not the cops. He felt the patriotism he couldn't deny.

* * *

Thirty minutes later, Brian was already at Barstow's recruting office. As Barstow was quite a small city, it only had one recruiting office for all four branches.

"Can I help you, sir?" asked a Sergeant sitting behind the counter.

"Yes. I would like to join the Marine Corps."

"Alright. Step into the back room for medical tests."

* * *

Two days later, Brian found himself back in LA. But not as a cop. After quite many tests and application fillings and choosing his Corps career: Infantryman 0311, he now found himself getting sworn in.

"I, Brian O'Conner, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God." After this, he was now ready to become a Marine.

Where a Marine candidate would report for Basic Training was determined first by their sex. All women, regardless of their geographical location would be sent to Parris Island, South Carolina. For men also the geographical location mattered. Live east of the Mississippi River and you go to Parris Island. However, live west of the river and you go to San Diego. Being a born-and-bred Californian boy, there was no doubt Brian would be sent to San Diego.

Two hours later, a quite old green bus, that surely reminded Brian of some decommissioned 1960s Greyhound, pulled up in front of the Military Entrance Processing Station. Brian rose from his seat and followed everyone on the bus.

The bus took off slowly, and two hours later arrived at United States Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego. The driver killed the engine and opened the door. It was quite late night, around 11 PM. Just then, two Marines stepped on the bus. One was a near-40 5'10" white man with green eyes and blonde hair, and the other was a 6'6" black man around 30 with brown eyes and dark hair.

"Alright, everybody get off the bus now! Move it! Let's go! Stand into the yellow footprints!" the white man yelled with a quite thick Texas or Arkansas accent.

It took three minutes to get all the Marine candidates into the yellow footprints outside. Then the two Marines exited the bus, which left.

"I am Gunnery Sergeant Fuller," the white man spoke up. "And this is my assistant, Staff Sergeant Jackson. We have been given twelve weeks to turn civilians like you into proper United States Marines. And during those twelve weeks, you will address us and anyone who wears this at as "Sir". Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir!" all the recruits shouted at the top of their lungs.

"You are now aboard United States Marine Corps Recruiting Depot San Diego, California. Tens of thousands of Marines have begun outstanding service to our country on the very footprints in which you stand today. You will carry on that proud tradition. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir!"

"The Marine Corps' success depends upon teamwork. Therefore, teamwork will be an essential part of your training here at Parris Island. The words "I," "me" or "my" will no longer be a part of your vocabulary. You will use words such as "this recruit," "that recruit," "these recruits." Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Passing through these double doors symbolizes your transformation from a civilian to a United States Marine. You will pass through the doors only once. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Alright, let's go in!"

Brian followed all the other recruits in. "Alright, now grab a bag from the line. Then open it up wide and follow me through the line, where your gear will be dropped into the box. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Then let's go!"

An hour or so later, once everybody were in their bunks, Gunny Fuller made a speech: "Don't forget why you came here. You said you wanted to be one all your life. When this place gets hard, especially these first two weeks, you tell yourself, this is what it takes to become a Marine, and this is what I do. You came here for something great. Be something great, okay?"

"Yes, sir!"

* * *

On day in early December, Brian felt quite cold, tired, sore and hungry. But despite everything, he was still proud. He had finally completed the Crucible Week with all the other 50 recruits. Now it was time for graduation.

"...the Marine Corps finds its strength in our foundational values of honor, courage, and commitment. The Marine Corps is a way of life. Don't ever forget that. We welcome you into our ranks. You will forever be a United States Marine. Semper Fidelis." Brian barely paid attention to what the Colonel was saying. After all, he had just recieved his Eagle, Globe and Anchor badge. He had done it. During those 12 weeks, he had fought with Pugil Sticks, learned the newly-introduced Marine Corps Martial Arts, rappelled from a 300-foot wall, fired countless rounds from his new M16A2 service rifle, recited the Rifleman's Creed countless times (This is my rifle. There are many like this, but this one is mine, etc.), and sometimes it all was quite hard, but he had done it by improvising, adapting and overcoming. He was now a Marine. One of the few and the proud.

But the boot camp graduation didn't mean that his training was over now. Now he was given ten days of leave, before he would be shipped to Marine Infantry School at Camp Pendleton for Advanced Training.

* * *

Two months later in February, Brian finally graduated from the School of Infantry. Now it was time for duty station assignment. Brian was eventually assigned to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

Brian now boarded the Lockheed C-130 Hercules with several other Marines, then the plane's four Allison turboprops were fired up, generating nearly 18,000 shaft horsepower, and the plane took off.

Seven hours later, the sunny West Coast was already left 2300 miles behind and replaced with North Carolina.

* * *

**A/N: Alright, I decided to make the chapter longer. So also, as of now, there will be no more guessing, and it's officially locked now. Thank you all for those 12 Favorites and 23 Story Follows.**

**Anyway, the only correct guess was made by Spyridon, that Brian will join the USMC.**

**I also changed the story's title and the image. The image is from Paul Walker's another movie, Flags of our Fathers, where he played a Marine: Sergeant Hank Hansen, one of the 1945 Iwo Jima flagraisers.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

* * *

The huge Lockheed C-130 Hercules was cruising at 300 mph somewhere over the U.S. East Coast. Slowly, the plane's landing gear lowered and the speed of it began to slow down. In just a couple of minutes, the plane had now landed and the four Rolls-Royce turboprops stopped. The Marines, mostly dressed in their MARPAT Woodland pattern uniforms, now began to chatter about their plans before their next tour of duty. Some of them were planning to return to their families all over the fifty states, some wanted to do whatever possible in their spare time, before heading back to Afghanistan.

The buckles were undone and the Marines all grabbed their woodland camouflage bags, before all turning to the loadmaster who was standing by the controls. He pushed a button and the ramp quickly lowered itself on the runway asphalt.

"You are now aboard United States Marine Corps Air Station New River, Jacksonville, North Carolina. Please stay on the plane until the bus arrives to take you to Camp Lejeune to avoid possible AWOL situations," came over the PA system. After all, there was still a 25-mile distance between MCAS New River and Camp Lejeune, and plenty of chances for the returning Marines to go AWOL, if they would be impatient and would possibly get lost on their way to Lejeune.

Finally the ramp came to a complete halt, and the Marines stood up from their seats, gathering to the ramp.

Sergeant Major Paul Carson walked in front of them and stood on the ramp, watching his Marines waiting to leave the plane. Paul himself would soon be heading home to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho to see his wife Gabrielle and their kids, whom he had last seen just two years ago. This was one of the sacrifices he had to make when he enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1983 at the age of 18, when he was straight out of high school. Gabby was the last of his high school crushes. By the time Paul graduated, they had dated for two and a half years and she was four months pregnant with their first child. However, despite him being away from home quite often, they got married when he had just become a Sergeant, and had five kids, the youngest being now twelve.

Paul turned to a near-35 Staff Sergeant, who had become one of his greatest friends over the years in Marine Corps. There was nothing left of the young West Coast Corporal, who had joined the Marines straight after the September 11 events, and whom Paul had been tasked to mentor some 7-8 years ago.

"So, how do you feel about being back?"

The younger man thought for a second. "I don't really know. Part of me would want to go back to the Afghanistan, while the other part wants to stay in the States for a while."

"I know that feeling. It ain't easy getting re-adjusted to civilian life again. Anyway, you sure you'd be staying in Lejeune for a while?"

"Yeah. I need to get my life straight, and contemplate my next move, that's either signing up for the next tour or trying to get back to civilian life."

"Well, have it your way. Just don't forget to turn in your weapons for when you wouldn't sign up for the next tour. You see, you can always get them back if you do sign up."

"Got you."

Then a green bus, that again reminded Brian of some old Greyhound, drove on the runway. All the Marines now started to scramble towards the bus and just three minutes later, the Herky Bird was empty.

* * *

Brian walked to the Armory and handed in his M16A2 rifle with underbarrel M203 grenade launcher, M9A1 pistol, OKC-3S bayonet and Ka-Bar knife.

He didn't know what he would do next. Perhaps he'd go back to Barstow, or sign up for another tour to Afghanistan.

"You sure you want to stay here for a while?" Paul asked.

"Yeah."

"Alright, guess I'll be taking a trip to Idaho then. Gabby and the kids are already waiting quite impatiently."

"See you sometime later, perhaps," Brian said.

Paul clapped his hand on Brian's shoulder. "Take care," he said and left.

* * *

Half an hour later, Brian's new iPhone went off. He looked at the screen and saw that he had an incoming call from an unknown number. He shrugged his shoulders and answered the call.

"Staff Sergeant Brian O'Conner, Marine Corps."

"O'Conner, I need to talk to you, it's very important for your future. Meet me at Jacksonville Dunkin' Donuts, it's at 207 North Marine Boulevard. Please be there," Brian heard a male voice talking.

Then the phone hung up. Brian now took off his woodland camo uniform and put on his Evening Dress uniform, which consisted of sky blue trousers, midnight blue coat, white gloves and a white cap, then walked to the motor pool and checked himself out a Humvee.

About half an hour later, he arrived outside Dunkin' Donuts and walked inside.

"Over here, O'Conner," he heard a voice from a table.

He walked over to table, where a quite aged black man in white suit was eating a donut. "How you're doing, O'Conner?"

"Bilkins?"

"That's right."

"Did you invite me here to bring me in?"

"No. Actually, I have a request for you."

"Start talking."

"Well, for the Toretto case ten years ago, we were unable to find a driver. There were quite many inexperienced enforcers who could blend into the racing scene and had big knowledge about cars and racing, but also experienced cops who couldn't blend in. Then your sergeant recommended you, as you had previous experience in the street racing world before you became a cop, despite having been on the force for less than five years and having no undercover experience. Anyway, why I needed you now is that I have a job offering for you in Miami. Even though the results of the LA undercover operation fell very much short of our expectations, I think that since you were still able to blend into Toretto's crew, you might not have a problem in Florida."

"So this is a case you need a driver for."

"Yeah. We haven't been able to secure any relevant evidence on this case, and since the target's drivers all come from local race scene, I thought you would be the man for this job."

"But I already have a new life in the Marine Corps."

"Yeah, but it might not help you with your life in the future. After the failure on the Toretto case, you are considered "unwanted" in California. While you aren't a fugitive, you'd still have to look over your shoulder all the time and you'd get treated like you got a dishonorable discharge. And you know the military justice, dishonorably discharged people are seen as convicted criminals in many states. Which means you'd be facing an extremely difficult uphill battle, with you also being quite outnumbered."

"You failed as a cop when you cracked under pressure while on the undercover mission. Going undercover isn't easy. Now you only have to get over it and try to make things up for yourself again. So just think of this job as a chance for a fresh start and a clean slate."

Brian thought for a moment. "Fine, I'll do it. Now any info on the case?"

"I'll come pick you up tomorrow at 10 AM. Then we'll go to the North Carolina's FBI office, that's in Charlotte. There you'll recieve your briefing and you're ready to go."

"I still have to take out my leave. The most we can get per one year is thirty days, but I won't be needing so much time, right?"

"I think you wouldn't."

"Alright. So tomorrow, ten AM."

"Affirmative," Bilkins said and left.

* * *

The next day at 9.45 AM, Brian was already standing outside the Camp Lejeune. His home for the last ten years.

In just ten minutes, Bilkins arrived in a black SUV and Brian got in, then they took off to Route 74.

"So, how are things?" Bilkins asked. "Did you get your leave?"

"Yes, I did. Anyway, as I got everything wrapped up here, I could soon be on the road."

"I was thinking more of taking a flight. By plane it's just two hours from Charlotte to Miami, while driving down to South Carolina and then on Interstate 95 would take nearly half a day."

"I have to rebuild my street cred again. I know it's not a long distance from Charlotte to Miami, but there are racing scenes practically everywhere I could find, I mean, it would be weird if I just rolled into Miami. In LA I was easily accepted because of Toretto, but I won't have anyone like him in Miami. Also, as the race scene down there is more organized, I'd have to watch my back."

"But then there is a chance that you may already get caught by the local cops. And we wouldn't be able to help you then."

"Look, if I just showed up in Miami, I wouldn't be able to blend in so easily and everybody would start suspecting. So if you want my services, we're going to need an in-depth profile."

"Alright, have it your way. But there is a problem. After your failure, the LAPD decided to kill Spilner off. Listen to this: "Missouri Highway Patrol report, October 14, 2002. Brian Earl Spilner, an Arizona small-time criminal, was killed in a bar fight in St. Louis yesterday."

"Okay. Then I just need some new credentials."

"We can do it."

* * *

Just around 3 PM, Brian and Bilkins finally arrived at 7915 Microsoft Way in Charlotte. The North Carolina's only FBI office.

"Alright, they're waiting for us on the second floor. Let's go," Bilkins said.

They went up to a room on the second floor, where two men were already waiting.

"O'Conner, this is US Customs Agent John Markham, the senior agent in charge of this operation, and this is junior agent Marty Dunn, your partner on this operation. Markham, Dunn, this is Brian O'Conner, formerly of the LAPD, now a United States Marine Corps Force Reconnaissance Staff Sergeant and our informant on the illegal street racing world."

Markham glared at Brian with hate in his eyes. "Great. The same cop who failed on his first and last undercover operation because he got too close to his mark's sister and let him walk away. How do we know we can trust you in Miami?"

"Is it an interrogation? Because if it was, I would have come to waste my time here and would have signed up for my next tour."

"I just don't think you're the man we're looking for this job. I have done two good years of work on this case, and I'm not going to let it fail because of a failed cop. Besides, what is your Corps' motto?"

"Semper Fidelis."

"Yeah, and that means "always faithful". But no matter how faithful you were to your Corps, you were never faithful to the cops."

"Alright, enough," Bilkins cut in. "O'Conner here is the best to infiltrate the Miami racing scene. Yes, I know he failed on his last case, but at least he managed to blend in, so I don't think he'd have any problems in Miami. And also, I'm willing to vouch that he won't make the same mistake twice."

"Okay, if you think so," Markham sighed.

"Are you really serious about partnering me with this guy?"

Markham rolled his eyes. "You dumb-ass Marine, I still see you as the failed cop. So don't come questioning for my agents! And FYI, he's one of the best academy graduates."

"Yeah, well, that's a bad thing. They can smell the academy training off him in the streets, so it would be a good opportunity for us to get killed even before the mission. Watch this."

"Yeah, I'm trying to," Markham snorted.

Brian now turned to Dunn. "So, Dunn, if I brought you a beat-up 3000GT, would you fit in a 4G63 or a 6G73 engine to go faster?"

Dunn shifted uneasily and looked at everyone. Brian and Bilkins knew he had already lost. Also Markham, but he was hoping that somehow, Dunn would manage to give the correct answer. "Um," Dunn cleared his throat. "I'd choose the 6G73."

Brian didn't even shift. "Really? Well, the correct answer would have been neither. I'd put in the turbocharged 6G72."

Markham sighed, angry over the fact that Dunn had failed, "Then what? This is a two-man operation, you can't just go in on your own. Besides, weren't the Marines supposed to be team players?"

"Yeah, but there's no chance in hell I'm going in with this guy. I'm going to need someone who knows his way around cars."

"A Marine buddy of yours?" Bilkins asked. "It would be tricky with the jurisdictions. I mean, with the Posse Comitatus Act and all, since the Marines aren't even in the National Guard, but I think it can be arranged temporarily."

"Nope."

"That a fact, not a Marine buddy or yours?" Markham asked. "So, one of the Toretto crew?"

"Nope. He's a guy who I grew up with in Barstow, and even though we have fallen out, I think he'd agree to do it for a clean record and a fresh start."

"Great. First a failure of a cop, then he wants to bring in a street thug friend of his."

"To make it happen, you need people who aren't academy graduates ready to blow our cover."

"Who is he?" Bilkins cut in to end the feud.

"Roman Pearce. Native of Birmingham, Alabama, but has lived in Barstow since he was sixteen. We met in juvie and became best friends, but after I graduated the Police Academy, he got busted in a garage raid and we haven't spoken since. I think he's paroled in Barstow."

"Seriously?" Markham asked. "We don't need to bring another street thug to the party, I'm sure we could still find another agent."

"Markham, it's the best we can do." Bilkins cut in. "All or our previous drivers had their covers blown and became alligators' lunch in Everglades. So we need people with reputations. Alright, O'Conner, we'll be taking a trip to Barstow then."

"I don't like this but if that's the way, then let's do it so. I'll be catching a flight back to Miami then," Markham said and left with Dunn.

"Alright, let's go back to Barstow then. I could book us two tickets to LAX even for today."

"I've thought of already starting building up my street cred. But hey, you can go to LA by plane, then I pick you up, we go to Barstow, and then you go back to LAX and fly to Miami while Rome and I come there by the car."

"Seriously, O'Conner? It's 2500 miles on Interstate 40 from Charlotte to LA, that would take some two days to cover in a car, while a flight would only take five and a half hours."

"Yes, I am."

"Alright, have it your way. Anway, speaking of your car, I've already arranged it. I talked to the Charlotte Feds, and they were kind enough to offer you any car you could find from the impound lot."

"Great. By the way, what about the credentials?"

"Of course. Well, here you are. Name: Brian Kevin McReece. DOB: April 17, 1983. Place of birth: Richmond, Virginia. Here are your new documents: passport, Virginia identification card, Virginia driver's license, and some Virginia number plates for your car."

"Nice. Alright, can I see the car list now?"

"Sure."

Brian skimmed the car list. "Alright, I want number 5168."

"You got it."

"Oh, by the way. We also need a car for Rome."

"I'll see what I can do."

In just twenty minutes, a silver brand-new Nissan R35 GT-R appeared in front of the FBI building, then Brian and Bilkins got in and drove off.

Brian dropped Bilkins off at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, where Bilkins booked himself a ticket to a US Airways flight to LAX for 7.45 tomorrow morning. Then Brian drove off. As McReece's home state was Virginia, Brian thought he should start there. So he headed for Interstate 85. It would take him all the way to the Virginia's capital, Richmond.

From now on, there wouldn't be Brian O'Conner, the disgraced cop turned Marine, only Brian Kevin McReece, the non-existent Virginia petty criminal, juvenile delinquent, and a night runner in a brand-new $75,000 car.

In just four hours, Brian arrived in Richmond. The capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia. He rented himself a cheap garage and bought some car parts from a nearby automotive shop, before going back to garage and starting work on the Nissan.

The next morning, there wasn't much left of the silver Nissan that yesterday had rolled out of the Charlotte, NC FBI impound. Now it was painted metallic black with two red stripes added. But besides that, Brian had also applied many other changes. He had installed a wide body kit and had replaced the hood and spoiler with carbon fiber ones, and replaced the stock turbo kit with a GReddy one. He hadn't tampered with the four-wheel drive system, though. After all, he still had the chance to switch between all-wheel-drive and rear-wheel-drive. He had also installed two NOS tanks under the back seat and ran the tubes to the center console, allowing him to easily open up the valves.

The North Carolina license plates were now hidden in the trunk and replaced with Virginia's YFC-5621. Brian now took a picture of the Nissan with his cellphone and sent it to Bilkins. Bilkins had also done his part last night. Brian Kevin McReece now appeared on both Richmond Police Department and Virginia State Police databases with quite a big misdemeanor list, mostly illegal street racing. The silver Nissan in North Carolina DMV database was frozen and hidden among the government computers while a black, red-stripes Nissan now appeared in Virginia DMV's database, registered to Brian Kevin McReece.

As the sun went down, it was time to unleash Brian McReece. He pulled the Nissan onto the street and drove around Richmond. He eventually managed to found a racing scene. He managed to win all the four races, gaining respect and money. And to make things more interesting, after the races Brian took out his iPhone and called the cops on himself. And it worked.

It was time to go back to Barstow and pick up Rome. So Brian now gunned the Nissan and headed for Interstate 95.

* * *

He had driven just ten miles on the interstate, when the Virginia State Police started chasing him in their aging Crown Victorias and brand-new Dodge Chargers, while occasionally using Chevrolet Tahoe SUVs for roadblocks.

Escaping the cops wasn't hard at first, but later the some newest Chevrolet Camaro SS pursuit vehicles joined the chase. The chase was now going on all over the interstate, with the choppers also joining the chase.

Just 40 minutes later, Brian encountered a roadblock near the Virginia Welcome Center. It wasn't easy to breach through the roadblock with two Chevy Tahoes being the roadblock vehicles, but Brian had to do it, as pretty much all the Virginia troopers were now chasing him in Camaros and Chargers. He managed to find a gap wide enough and sped through.

"Damn, he got away!" he heard the chatter from the police radio. "Well, he's North Carolina's problem now."

And that was true. Just some hundred miles on Interstate 95 and Route 64, and Brian arrived in NC's capital. Raleigh. Another two races and he drove back to Charlotte, arriving some time before the sunrise. This time to race, with his black-with-red-stripes Nissan, that no longer resembled the silver one he left the city in. He eventually found some Charlotte street racer cats, who were just plain dumb or brave enough to also race in broad daylight. Brian smoked all the racers and ended up getting chased by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department out of the city, and then North Carolina State Highway Patrol troopers chased him all the way on Route 74, Interstate 26 and Interstate 40. However, some hours later, the cops ran out of jurisdiction, making Brian now Tennessee's problem.

He spent a lot of time in Tennessee, racing in Knoxville, Chattanooga and Nashville this day, before driving to Memphis. The city where nearly 40 years ago, MLK was assassinated.

In Memphis, Brian visited Graceland and paid his respects to MLK at the Civil Rights Museum before going to look for races. After all, this would be his last day in Tennessee, tomorrow he'd already be in a new state. He managed to win seven races before continuing on Interstate 40.

He drove on the De Soto Bridge. "Welcome to Arkansas, the Natural State. Buckle up for safety," said the sign above his head somewhere in the middle of the bridge. Brian arrived in the capital Little Rock just in two hours. Here in 1957, the governor blocked nine black students from entering the Central High School by using the National Guard. After that he went, as usual, looking for races.

After Little Rock, Brian turned to Interstate 30 and decided to take a slight detour to I-30 and raced in both Texarkana and Dallas, before going north on I-35 to Oklahoma City, where he raced and then went to sleep. The next morning, he drove on I-40 through Amarillo and Albuquerque, NM to Flagstaff, Arizona, racing at the three big cities. Near Kingman, Arizona he took a slight detour to Las Vegas, and after racing there, drove south on Interstate 15 to Barstow.

Bilkins happened to already be in Barstow, in some hotel. So now the next day, they drove to the Barstow Speedway to watch a demolition derby. However, Brian couldn't see Rome anywhere. So he went to talk to the race organizer.

"Roman? Oh, he was offered a chance to return to his home state seven years ago, and he just did that. He's probably still in Birmingham, if he hasn't moved."

Brian then told Bilkins what he had found out, then Bilkins took out his cellphone and called an Alabama friend of his, who was also in the FBI. In an hour, he got information that Rome had returned to Birmingham in 2003, but in 2005 had been caught red-handed again in a chop shop and was sentenced to five years in jail. In 2008 Rome was paroled, but was caught boosting a car later the same year and for committing a crime while on probation, was now subjected to 100-yard movement restriction and his Alabama Highway Patrol (read: State Police) parole officer had lined him up with a job at Birmingham Speedway. Not NASCAR, heck, they were held in nearby Talladega, but another demolition derby.

So now there was only one thing to do. They'd have to go to Birmingham, AL to pick up Rome. Bilkins now went back to LAX to catch a flight, while Brian drove south to Interstate 10, and started driving westbound. He raced at Phoenix, AZ and Las Cruces, NM before crashing in a El Paso motel. It was Texas time.

In Texas, Brian raced twice in San Antonio and Houston. Texas surely was big, but by nightfall Brian had already made it to Louisiana. Heck, five years ago Hurricane Katrina had made quite a mess there, Brian could still find a race scene in New Orleans, before he turned back and drove to Interstate 55.

Brian drove to Jackson, Mississippi for some last races, before continuing on I-20 to Birmingham, where he arrived in early morning. He now drove to 1000 18th Street. One of Alabama's two FBI offices, the other one was in Mobile.

Brian slept in the Nissan just outside the office, before going in to see Bilkins.

* * *

Brian and Bilkins now drove to the Birmingham Speedway to watch the amateur derby race.

The race wasn't quite much, but they saw that in the end, Rome still managed to win, and despite being a black guy in the dirty South, he got still cheered enthusiastically, at which he smiled. However, an ugly expression twisted his features when he saw his former friend, Brian O'Conner the cop, among the crowd. After all, he still didn't know that in the meantime Brian had quitted the police force and had became a Marine. Rome now began to walk away, but Brian followed him with Bilkins on his tail.

"Pearce!" Brian yelled, but Rome ignored him and continued to walk away. "Roman Pearce!" Brian quickly turned around to face Bilkins. "Whatever happens next, just let it go."

"I ain't in it."

Brian now turned his attention back to Rome and whistled. "Rome!"

This was it, he had gone too far. Rome suddenly stopped and turned around. "Only my homeboys call me Rome." Rome spat on the ground before turning back to Brian. "Pig."

"I'm not a cop anymore, bro."

Rome now started walking towards Brian angrily. "Is that true? Blondie here isn't a cop anymore?"

"That's true, no badge," Bilkins said.

Apparently, this was just what Rome was waiting for. His fist tightened as he looked at Brian with fury in his eyes. He threw a punch at Brian, but he surely didn't know that Brian was now a USMC Force Recon Staff Sergeant with a black belt at MCMAP. So Brian easily dodged his attack and instead pulled Rome down to the sand with him.

"You still fight like shit. You still fight like shit," the Marine said, feeling no big pain from Rome's attacks.

Rome swung his fist across Brian's jaw, knocking his head into the hard packed dirt. "What the hell are you doing here, cop? I told you –"

"I'm going to choke you." Brian threatened.

"I told you to stay away from me." Rome snarled, knocking away Brian's attempt to choke him. He refused to give in and now started to punch the Marine's back. "You should have told me. I did six years, Brian, and lived just fine without a traitorous bitch like you being around, but now you're back!"

"I told you it wasn't my fault."

Some time later, the Marine and parolee eventually finished their fight. Brian released Rome, who now pushed him away. "Why did you come here, O'Conner?"

"I got a deal for you."

"When I needed your ass, you were nowhere to be found. Now, you're trying to hand out deals?"

"I need you to come to Miami and drive with me. If you do, they'll take off that anklet and clear your entire record."

"I did six years in jail and where were you? I know you better than you think."

"Maybe you don't, maybe you don't."

Bilkins now looked at the two men, who were still dirty from the sand fight. Maybe Pearce shouldn't be brought in. If he and Brian were going to constantly fight, it might endanger the operation. "Guys finished?"

"This deal legit?" Rome asked.

"That's right, if you do this job for us."

"Told you," Brian cut in.

"Shut up, punk. So you're going to clean my record and get this thing off my ankle." Rome lifted his leg, slapping the device.

"That's right. I thought you couldn't wander more than a hundred yards from your home?" Bilkins asked.

"Why do you think I park close to the derby?"

"Man, quit playing like you're going to pass this up," Brian said. They had a lot to do and he needed Rome to get everything straight to save time. After all, it would be very unlikely that the Corps would extend his leave and most likely he'd end up labeled AWOL.

Rome glared at Brian angrily before opening his trailer's door and walking inside.

"You really want to bring him in?" Bilkins asked Brian. "Seems to me you two hate each other."

"At least he won't get me killed, no matter what he says."

"Alright, here's the deal. Your friend will also get a car of his choice, from either Birmingham or Mobile impound. Then you'll report to Miami to prepare for the operation."

"Could you spare a day or two?"

"Sure. Why?"

"Well, I was thinking of finishing building up my street cred with a small Georgia detour. I also need to find out if he still has the good driving skills from all those years, while I was a Marine on duty."

"Alright then. I think we can arrange that."

Just then, Rome returned from his trailer with a duffle bag. Bilkins now walked over to him.

"Alright, pick your poison," he said while handing Rome the two car lists. "Whichever one you want, it's yours."

Rome now started skimming the Alabama FBI impounds' car list. "I want number 2359 from Birmingham."

"Consider it yours," Bilkins said, then he took out his cellphone.

* * *

In just an hour, they arrived at Birmingham FBI office, where a green Dodge Viper SRT-10 was parked in front of the building. Rome ran over to the Viper with his mouth drooling and got the keys.

Brian chuckled at it. Rome surely didn't have any sense of rationality or practicality when he had picked the huge truck-engined muscle car which didn't handle quite good, lacking all the safety electronics, like the stability and traction control, only having the ABS.

Bilkins had now gone back to Birmingham International Airport to catch a two-hour flight to Miami.

"Alright, let's go, pig," Rome told Brian. In the meantime he had also got his anklet removed.

"Well, I already have the roads mapped up with my trusty Rand-McNally. We'd be driving to Miami with a slight detour to Georgia. I have already built up McReece's street cred, so I think by the time we finally arrive in Miami, it wouldn't be impossible to infiltrate the local racing scene."

"I don't still know if I should trust you. I mean, because of you I ended up doing three years in Centinela, while the other three in Alabama slammer was solely my fault."

"I told you I had nothing to do with it."

"But you were still a cop. And Roman Pearce hates cops."

Brian started to get annoyed, but he knew how to deal with Rome. "Look, Rome. There is no obligation for you to come to Miami and do the job. Feel free to go back to Birmingham and live there with your 100-yard thing and get the anklet reattached."

"Fuck you. I may not trust you or not want to work with you, but I sure as hell won't go back to Alabama. We do the deal and then we split ways, we don't even have to see each other again," Rome said.

So this was it. Now Brian and Rome drove turned to Interstate 20 and took off towards Atlanta. Georgia's capital. After Atlanta time, they'd turn to Interstate 75 and in Macon to I-16. It would take them to Savannah, where they would spend some time racing before eventually hooking up with Interstate 95 and it would finally take them to Miami.

* * *

The next day's afternoon, Brian and Rome eventually rolled to Miami. They had surely teared up Georgia with their street racing in Atlanta and Savannah, and had ended up chased off to Florida by many Georgia troopers. Now, in Miami, they happened to see a red Mazda RX-7 and a orange Toyota Supra driving along and followed them.

Some time later, they pulled up at a huge building with "Tej's Garage" written on it. The parking lot was full of street racing cars and there was a lot of noise coming from the terrace, lots of cheers and applause

Brian got out of his car and walked into the garage, followed closely by Rome.

"Alright, Rome, let me do the talking." Brian told Rome before turning to a Asian man who was working on some car. "Hey man, what's going on around here?"

"Same old thing that happens every day. The water racing," the Asian guy said before turning to Brian and Rome. "You guys new here?"

"You could say that," Brian chuckled.

"The name's Jimmy and this black guy is Tej Parker. He owns the place," the Asian guy said while pointing to a black man lounged on the deck, shouting with a bullhorn.

"Name's Brian Kevin McReece, and this is my homey Roman Pearce."

Jimmy shook hands and bumped fists with Rome. "So, where ya from and what brings ya to Miami?"

The Marine didn't even tense at the question. "I'm from Richmond, Virginia, Romey's from Birmingham, Alabama. We've been good friends for many years. Now we decided to get a change of scenery and come to Miami."

"That's cool."

"So, what do you race here in Miami?"

"Everything. Cars, boats, waverunners, jetskis, bikes, you name it. And Tej runs it. So, you two race?"

"Oh yeah."

"What would that be?"

"Cars. Mine's the black Nissan GT-R and Romey's the green Viper. They're both on the street."

"Seriously?" Jimmy asked. "Hey Tej, come here for a minute!"

Tej now stood up from his chair and walked over to Jimmy. "What up, bro?"

"Tej, this is Brian from Virginia and Roman from Sweet Home Alabama. You'd never believe what they're drivin'."

"Tell me," Tej said while shaking hands with Brian and Rome.

"A Nissan R35 GT-R and a Dodge Viper. They're both out on the street," Brian cut in.

"Ya mind?"

"Not at all."

The four of them now walked over to the cars.

"Whoa, nice wheels you guys got," Jimmy remarked.

"Cool cars. Ya race too?" Tej asked.

"Every now and then."

"You up for racing tonight?"

"Sure."

"Today's buy-in is 16G. You see, at my races the minimum buy-in is eight. So, you up?"

"Sure. Where is it?"

"The North Miami Ave and 14th Street intersection. 11.30 PM."

"I think we can find that."

* * *

Five days later, Brian and Rome had made friends with Tej, Jimmy and many other Miami racers. Now Brian was driving his Nissan, when he got pulled over by a unmarked police car. A cop from the car, heck, he was actually a Customs agent, walked over to Brian.

"Be in the office around noon tomorrow."

* * *

At midday tomorrow, Brian and Rome showed up in the designated meeting spot and got out of their cars. They got into the building, where Bilkins and Markham were already waiting. It was briefing time.

"Carter Verone," Markham spoke up. "Born in Argentina, but he's lived most of his life in Miami. Now he owns the biggest import-export business in the state. Unfortunately, the cartels have been successful getting drugs into Miami. But they've had a hard time getting the cash out. We've surveilled him for over a year. But we haven't been able to put him and the money together. We swept his house, warehouses-"

"Nothing," Bilkins cut in. "Customs here has done a great job of getting us this far. I'm just here to help them get over the top."

"I was able to get an agent in undercover, working travel and logistics for him. Verone's put her in charge of finding new drivers."

"Right, although we can't confirm her status right now."

"She's one of mine, she's all right. Has been in with Verone a year, even lives at the compound with him."

"So the idea's just that we are supposed to be drivers?" Brian asked.

"You got that right. Now let's go meet our agent."

They now walked over to the airplane hangar, where just a delivery van arrived.

"Brian O'Conner, Roman Pearce, meet Monica Fuentes," Markham said, nodding towards a Latina woman who had been riding in the delivery van as the "cargo". It was the Customs' way to safely extract her from Verone's mansion.

"Do they have background on Verone?" Monica asked.

"They've been briefed."

"Good. Alright, here's the deal. Verone's contact in the underground racing scene had notified him of you two. Sooner or later you will recieve an invitation from him to show up at his races. That's always the way they get recruited."

"Alright, we'll be waiting."

* * *

And the same night, Brian was surprised to find an envelope between his Nissan's windshield wiper. He opened it and found a letter: "I have gained you entry into a big Florida illegal street racing tournament. Come to 100 Southeast 32nd Road tomorrow at 11 AM for more info."

_This was it_, the Marine smiled. They had got an invitation from Verone. He took out his iPhone and informed Bilkins about it.

* * *

The next morning at 11 AM, Brian and Rome arrived at Verone's mansion. Some other drivers had also arrived. There was one pair in a yellow Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X and a purple Eclipse GT, another pair in a classic muscle cars - a blue Yenko Camaro and a orange 426 Hemi Challenger, third one in a black BMW M3 E92 and a Jaguar XKR.

"Where did you get them cars, from the bottom of a cereal box?" the Camaro jock was making fun of the Mitsubishi drivers.

Suddenly, a man appeared at the mansion gates, whistling and gesturing at the drivers to come to the gates.

"Let's go," Brian told Rome. They began to walk, when Brian turned to Rome again. "Keep your mouth shut and follow my lead, okay?" The Marine knew that if he let Rome run his mouth, it would be a good chance for them to get killed.

"I got this," Rome muttered.

"No, I'm serious."

"You handle your business, I handle mine."

They eventually stopped at the gates where another of the goons was currently checking Rome for weapons. "Watch your hands, bruh," Rome mumbled. Then the same check was performed on Brian. Eventually, they were both found clean.

"Go in line," muttered the bald henchman.

They all stood in line and then started to walk towards the house, where a man in gray suit spoke up. Verone.

"Thank you for coming on such short notice. My red Ferrari was confiscated yesterday. It sits in an impound lot in Little Haiti. About 20 miles from here. The car isn't important. What is important is the package I left in the glove box. First team back here with the package will have an opportunity to work for me."

"You're saying we got to audition?" the Challenger driver asked.

"Nobody's got a gun to your head. That's it," Verone said and left.

"Driver's licenses, pass them up," Monica said. She walked over to the drivers and collected their licenses. "Before Christmas, guys."

* * *

Long story short, Brian and Rome eventually arrived first to the impound, with some of their opposition getting eliminated on the way: the two Mitsubishis and the Beemer. Brian now collected the package from the car's center console.

"Damn, this will get us a paycut," he thought. Apparently, the car was unlocked, but Rome hadn't tried it and had still smashed the window first.

Just then, the two classic muscle cars and the Jaguar arrived on the scene. Brian now showed them the package. _You're too late, boys!_ a thought formed in his brain.

"Don't let them get away," the Camaro driver told the Challenger driver.

"Not a problem," the Challenger driver laughed with a gun in his hand

"Haha, sit on it, Fonzie!" Rome laughed.

The muscle car drivers opened their doors, but just then the cops arrived on the scene.

"What the hell are they doing here?" Rome asked while brandishing his pistol.

Brian had already turned around and saw Rome aiming the gun at the cops. "Rome, no!" he yelled, but he was too late, Rome had already started firing.

Meanwhile, the muscle cars and Jag now took off from the scene, while Rome emptied his magazine into the cop car, before he and Brian also escaped.

* * *

Some time later, Brian and Rome pulled up in front of Verone's mansion. Brian got out of his GT-R and handed Verone the package. As he had feared, Rome started running his smart mouth again.

"Hey man, you got something to eat up in there? We hungry."

Luckily, Verone didn't quite mind. "Sit them by the pool," he turned to Monica.

"Nice. Come on," Monica said and motioned Brian and Rome to follow her.

"What you checkin' her out for?" Rome asked as they began to walk.

"I'm not checkin' her out."

"Yes, you were," he continued when they both were at the table.

"No, I wasn't."

"I saw you checkin' her out."

The Marine now got tired of this bullcrap. "Okay, I was. Now shut up."

"You shut up. Don't tell me to shut up."

Monica now walked over to the table. "Both you girlies shut up. Unbelievable."

They sat down and sat in silence for a while, before Rome ran his mouth again. "You sure are cosy in this big old mansion, sleeping with the enemy."

Verone now came to the table. Brian attempted to sit up, but was stopped by Verone. "No, no. Sit down."

"Nice Ferrari you got in the driveway," the Marine remarked.

"I'm glad you like it," Verone said before opening the package, revealing a Cuban cigar, a cutter and a lighter. "Darling, will you hold that?" he handed the empty package to Monica.

Rome was looking very annoyed. "We did all that for a damn cigar?"

"No. You did that for a job. Do you really think that I would let somebody impound my car? The boatyard is mine. Oh, by the way, you two owe me a gate. I'll just take it off your cut."

Rome started to laugh sarcastically, he just had to run his smart mouth. "Off our cut?"

"Yeah."

Brian was already starting to feel a bit uneasy. Maybe he should really have chosen Dunn. Yeah, Dunn knew nothing about cars and street racing, but at least he wouldn't run his mouth when unnecessary, unlike Rome. Luckily, Rome didn't say anything too bad. "I like that."

"Good," Verone said. Brian now let out a sigh of relief.

"What's this job you got for us anyway?"

"Come with me." As they began to walk away from the table, Verone spoke up: "The house has ears in it. Anyway, I have something I want you to carry from North Beach to the Keys."

"What is it?" the Marine cut in to make sure Rome would try to be smart again.

"Just put in the car and drive it to me, and don't let anybody stop you. Understand?"

"Yeah. Any chance of cop trouble?"

"I'm buying you a window of time, but it's not gonna be open very long. You make it, and I'll personally hand you a hundred G's at the finish line."

Before Brian could say something, Rome ran his mouth again. "Make it 100 G's a piece, papi."

Verone now turned to Rome and the Marine started to feel that there would be little chance they would get out of it alive.

"Look, man," Rome started. "Obviously your pockets ain't nervous," he moved his hand towards Verone, who grabbed it.

"Hey, hey," Verone cut in. "Don't ever touch me."

"Ours are empty. Like I said, we hungry."

Verone now started to think, before turning back to Brian and Rome. Brian was ready to face whatever would come. After all, the Marine training had helped him, and he had a MCMAP black belt. Luckily, Verone didn't get quite pissed. "I got an idea. Why don't you boys join us at the club later tonight?"

"Yeah," Monica cut in. "Pearl at midnight?"

"We get to know each other better."

"That sounds good," Brian quickly cut in to avoid Rome running his mouth again. He then offered a hand and shook hands with Verone, sealing the deal.

"I'll see you tonight."

"See you," Brian said with a sigh of relief. Now they would be gone for a while and Rome wouldn't have a chance to get them killed with his behavior.

However, they had only made a few steps away, when Verone suddenly stopped them. "Hey, you!"

Brian stopped annoyedly. _What did Rome do now?_ he asked himself.

"Your pockets aren't empty," Verone said.

"Damn," Rome mumbled.

"I'll take my cutter back."

"Stupid ass," Brian muttered. Rome was already making him feel uneasy.

Rome now took out the cutter from his pocket and handed it over to Verone. "Hey, man, I figured you had, like twelve or thirteen of these."

"You're not too bright. Get out of here."

As soon as they were off Verone's territory, Brian jumped at Rome. "Samy old Romey doing the same old stupid shit."

"Get off me," Rome pushed Brian off him.

"Look, running your mouth? Insulting people? Stealing Verone's shit?"

"Think I'm gonna let somebody stare me down? I didn't let nobody stare me down in jail, or in Alabama, homeboy. Yoy think I'm gonna let it fly on the beach? "And you, I take my cutter back."" Rome mimicked Verone. "His rich ass."

"And you're packing."

"Like you ain't." Brian stared at Rome for a moment before walking away to the Nissan. "Exactly."

"From here on now, I do the talking."

"Looks to me you wanna do a little more than that."

"Oh? What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means you always get in trouble over a female, Brian."

Brian got annoyed and got in his Nissan. He now started to think. Rome knew quite much about cars, but he had a tendency to always run his mouth at the wrong time. While being a Marine Corps Staff Sergeant, Brian could handle it, but he was also a team player now. So he thought that if they were to continue with the job, he needed somebody to back him up. He now took out his iPhone and dialed a number.

"Hey, Paul. I'm in Miami in a quite funny situation."

"Oh, hey, Brian. Good to hear from ya. Tell me more."

"I had to go undercover in a FBI/Customs joint mission. While it wouldn't affect my Corps career, I just thought of it as getting a fresh start and a clean slate." Brian had already told Paul about the 2001 fiasco, when he went undercover but in the end let Dom go.

"Good for you, my man. This way you could start a new life after the Corps."

"Anyway, I'm partnered with a guy who has a tendency of getting us into huge trouble, when he runs his mouth at the wrong time. Not something I couldn't handle, but I'd need someone to back me up in case things go very sour."

"Miami? Okay, I'll be there asap. Where are you staying?"

"A place called "Tej's Garage." It's at 1200 North Ocean Drive in Hollywood, just north of Miami."

"Alright. I don't know when I'll be there, but at least you don't have to come and pick me up at the airport, I'll find my way."

"Okay. Thanks, Paul, you're a fucking diamond."

"Don't mention it," Paul now hung up on the other side.

* * *

**A/N: Well, that's it. Took me a month to update, but finally it's here. It surely can't be considered short, but decide yourself how good it is.**

**I was originally thinking of having Brian's Marine scenes in this chapter, but eventually I decided to include them as flashbacks. And I'm grateful to you all for those 19 Favorites and 29 Story Alerts. Keep reading and reviewing!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Alright, here's the edited version of Ch3.**

* * *

Brian and Rome now returned to the garage.

„Yo Jimmy, what's up man?" Brian asked.

„What up, Bri?" Jimmy shook hands with Brian and bumped fists with Rome.

„Do us a favor. When you get a second, check out the Nissan and the Viper."

„I got you, man."

„Alright. Thanks Jim."  
They walked over to the deck, where a huge crowd had formed, watching a jetski race. Tej was currently shouting through the bullhorn. „Ray, don't do that, man! You're making me lose money! Come on, stop that. I know you're better than that!"

Again Rome started to check out some girls, while Brian walked over to Tej, who was still shouting through the bullhorn.

„It's do or die now! Bring it home, Ray!" Tej shouted. As Ray won, Tej rose from his deck chair. „Pay up, pay up!" he yelled.

Everybody now came and handed Tej the money.

„Hey Tej, check it out. A friend of mine will be in Miami some time soon. So probably I won't be around in the garage someday."

„Gotcha. No problem."

Brian and Rome now walked over to Jimmy, who had just finished checking the Nissan. „So, Jimmy? How are things?"

„The cars are fine, but they're both wired like I've never seen before."

Jimmy left, then Rome turned to Brian: „What?"

Brian now turned to Rome. „When we were inside for briefing, they must have a mechanic wiring our cars with the GPS. That's why Markham knew we were at the impound lot. And that's what we get when we leave our cars unlocked."

„Yo, you're the master mechanic," Rome turned to Jimmy. „Can't you just yank that shit off?"

„I'll try, but it ain't LoJack. The DIS box, engine management system, the main harness, the GPS is spidered into all that."

„All right, Jimmy. Just do what you can do, bruh," Brian said.

„I got you."

„Thanks, man."

Brian and Rome then walked away, but Brian suddenly began to suspect something. Probably he had some sixth sense which had developed when he was in the Marine Corps, but he felt that somebody was following them.

„Rome!" he yelled. When Rome came to him, Brian quickly pointed out to the street. „Check it out. You see this Cadillac parked across the street?"

„Yeah."

„They've been on us since we left Verone's house. We need to lose them before we go and report to Customs and FBI about our results."

„I got you," Rome quickly said. It had been Brian's plan to lose the tail with his stealth moves he had learned in the Force Recon. However, this time Rome had again got ahead of him. „Get the car started, O'Conner."

Brian walked back to the Nissan and started it up, while Rome then sneaked over to the Cadillac, where two of Verone's goons were sitting.

„Elian y Fidel. Que pasa, jotas?" Rome asked and bursted out laughing. „Hey man, I'll clean your windshield for you," Rome now started spraying something on the windscreen.

„What are you doin' man?" the goons asked and began to step out of their cars.

„Uno, dos, tres, quatro, taco. Everything copasetic? Me gusta cocha!" Rome laughed, then took a step away and pulled out a lighter. „Kiss my ass, putos," he said and threw the lighter at the car, which went ablaze. He now ran to Brian's Nissan and they drove off from the scene while Verone's goons were trying to extinguish the fire.

* * *

Brian and Rome quickly drove to the FBI building, while the goon-boys were still busy with the flaming car.

„He'll blow our cover before we even get started," Rome mumbled.

„Hey, Bilkins," Brian spoke up. „Can you tell me what went wrong?"

„That's what I wanna know."

Just then, Markham suddenly arrived with a gun drawn at Brian and Rome. „Show me your hands! Come on, keep 'em up!"

Brian and Rome were both confused. „What's this about, man?" Rome asked.

„Hey, w-what's going on?" Brian asked. Even with all his Marine training, he couldn't understand what was Markham's problem.

„Hold this," Markham handed his gun to Dunn, then launched at Rome. „You think you can shoot at me? I'm a goddamn federal agent!"

„What are you talking about? Get your damn hands off me!" Rome asked. „Get your damn hands off me!" Bilkins, Dunn and Brian jumped in to stop the fight. „Get him away from me, dawg!" Rome yelled at Brian who now pushed Markham away.

Markham was eventually pulled off Rome, who continued to accuse him: „Just 'cause you wear a badge doesn't mean you can come and mess shit up for us!"

„Hey, get your hands off me!" Markham yelled at the Marine.

„You're lucky I didn't shoot you!" Rome interrupted.

„Shut up, Rome!" Brian cut in.

„Don't tell me to shut up, Brian!" Rome now turned to Markham. „You almost blew our cover, old man."

„Shut up!" the Marine cut in to end the fight, before turning to Markham: „You shouldn't have shown up like you did." Markham made a confused face, then Brian continued: „What? You didn't know Verone was testing us?"

„No. I thought you punks were running."

„Running!" Rome exclaimed.

This made even Brian mad. He really wanted to use the martial arts skills he learned from the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program on Markham, but he eventually refrained from it because it would only get him into bigger trouble. „That's great, that's real great! Oh, and if Rome wanted to shoot you?" the Marine asked while taking out the Glock he confiscated from Markham. „You wouldn't be here right now!" Brian slammed the gun on the table and Bilkins grabbed it.

„Alright, we gotta get this under control," Bilkins cut in to end the fight. Meanwhile, Rome had grabbed a paper bag from the table.

„Hey, that's mine!" Markham yelled.

„So?" Rome asked and started eating a sandwich in it.

„Tell me what you know," Bilkins spoke up to get info on the results.

„Rome and I will be making a run for Verone. I'm not sure when or where, but he said he bought us a window. I assume, from the local cops."

„I can talk to some guys at the local P.D." Dunn cut in.

„No good," Bilkins said. „If Verone has some of them on his payroll, then we can't let them know our operation."

„Exactly. In addition, Verone told us that he himself will be waiting at the drop."

„That's good news. If you're going to be delivering drug money, we can get him for laundering."

"Now there's only one problem," Rome cut in.

"What's that?" Bilkins asked.

"Fuentes. Verone's tapping her."

"Tapping her? Tapping her how?"

"That is crap," Markham cut in.

"Hey, what you're talking about, homeboy? We know what we've seen."

"What do you think, O'Conner? You think she's compromised? You should know."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Your pal O'Conner didn't tell you? He flipped on Bilkins in LA, ten years ago. Gave his mark the car keys and let him disappear. That's why he's not a cop anymore. So, what do you think, expert?"

"I don't know."

"All right. We'll keep an eye on her."

"We're out of here," Brian told Rome and they left.

The Marine was now also starting to hate Markham. It seemed to him like he didn't give a damn if they actually got killed and ended up getting fished out in Everglades a week later.

As soon as they left the building, Rome started a discussion: "Let your man go, huh?"

"Drop it. I don't want to talk about it."

"Drop it hell. I wanna hear about this, homey."

"I said forget about it, cuz."

"We got Fuentes in with Verone, Markham trying to blow our cover, and we got two wired cars no better than that damn ankle bracelet of mine. I'll tell you, bruh, you let your man Markham do that shit again in front of Verone, that's gonna be our ass!"

"I know, man, I know. It's getting thick real quick. I already called a Marine buddy of mine and asked him to help us out. He agreed, but I don't know when he'll be here. He lives in Idaho, you know. So before he arrives, we need a way out, got to come up with some kind of an exit strategy."

"Exit strategy, huh?"

"Yeah."

Rome took a bite at his sandwich. "I like the way it sounds. What you got in mind?"

"I don't know, man. But we need two more cars," Brian said, before starting up his Nissan. They now drove back to Tej's, Maybe he could help them out.

And Tej did. He used his connections and called up the two classic muscle drivers – Korpi and Darden were their names, and they had been around the local races even a bit before Brian and Rome arrived in Miami.

* * *

And by 11 PM, the drivers joined them in their Camaro and Challenger, where Brian, Rome, Tej, Suki and Jimmy were waiting on a truck.

"Yeah. Here they come."

The muscle car drivers then stopped their cars and got out of their cars, with their girls also with them.

"Fonzie and Fabio," Rome spoke up. "Glad you could join us."

"No problem. We heard you boys wanted to get rid of those toys. I mean, the Viper looks nice, but would look even better in our garage," one of the drivers said.

"Nope," the Marine cut in. "Actually we figured that your cars you got deserve better drivers, so we'll take 'em off your hands."

"Yo, why don't we settle this now?" the Challenger driver said about it.

"Wait, wait, wait, wait." Tej cut in. "How about we settle this on the blacktop? Each car does a down-and-back, tag-team style. For slips."

"Well, we came here to race."

"Load 'em up then."

Brian, Rome and the muscle car drivers got in their cars.

Long story short, Brian and Rome eventually managed to win the race and got two new cars. Their cars happened to be extremely equal. While Rome's Viper was very powerful, its handling was even worse than the Challenger's, which eventually put him in the back. However, with his Force Recon training, Brian eventually managed to outsmart the Camaro driver and then drove his Nissan to the victory. They now left with the cars, leaving the muscle car drivers standing there in the dust.

And just a few minutes later, Brian and Rome arrived at the Pearl.

"How are you? What's your name?" the security guard asked.

"We're Mr. Verone's guests."

Brian and Rome now walked into the club.

"It's an oasis in here, bro," Rome asked.

"Yeah, lots of potential."

"Damn. You got a pen? It's about to get serious in here."

Rome was checking out the girls, when suddenly Monica arrived to interrupt them. "Hey, you guys did something right. Verone never socializes with hired help."

"Now what does that make you?" Rome cut in, smiling.

"Where's he at?" Brian cut in. With his Marine training Brian had already calculated that Verone had some fifty security guards in the club, most of them armed with machine pistols, MP5s or handguns.

"He's on his way."

"You and Verone don't go everywhere together?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing. I'm gonna go take a piss."

"You go do that."

Brian watched Rome walking away. He saw that the restrooms were in the middle, which also meant that there was probably only one way out of the club. So if Rome did something wrong now, there wouldn't be a chance they could escape in one piece.

"What is his deal?" Monica asked.

Brian snapped back to Earth from his thoughts of making the escape plan. "He doesn't trust people who carry badges."

"You talk like you know."

"I had been a cop about two months when Roman was busted in a garage raid. He had eight sets of wheels in his possession, each and every one of them hot."

"So you busted him?"

"No, I didn't even know it was going down. But that doesn't really matter. Once I became a cop, Rome saw me as a friend who became the enemy. And five years later, I failed as a cop when I let my mark go, you probably know about that. Three months later, the terrorists attacked the Twin Towers and Pentagon, and this was when I joined the Marine Corps."

"So you were in the Corps?"

"Yeah. A Force Recon Staffy, nine years experience."

Eventually, Rome walked over to them.

"What's up?" Brian asked.

"He's here."

"Where's he at?"

"He's over there, don't look."

Just then, a girl walked over to them. "Excuse me. Mr. Verone would like for you to join him."

"Let's do it," Monica said and rose from her seat.

"See what I'm talking about?" Rome asked Brian.

"Yo, Rome, let's talk about it when we're safe and out of here. I already studied the club. He has fifty security guards, most of them with SMGs or handguns. Only one way out, which would also mean that we'll be lucky if we got out of here alive. So this time, don't do anything funny."

"Fine, I got ya."

They eventually got into the Private Zone and sat down.

"How you're doing?"

"Good. Enjoying your night?"

"Yeah, I'm having a good time."

"Good. She's beautiful, isn't she?"

Brian thought for a moment. Not about Monica. Yes, she was beautiful, but she wasn't Mia. Somehow even nine years later Brian found it hard to get over her. Monica surely was not his style, no matter how beautiful she was. But he was a Marine and he wasn't going to chicken out, even if it would have to mean fleeing the club with fifty guys firing at him.

"Yeah, she's gorgeous."

Verone smiled. "You got balls kid. I appreciate that. Women are a very powerful force. You see the blonde sitting with the gentleman right here? Five minutes of her time and she can get anything she wants from him. Watch."

They eventually saw the same woman and the fat guy she was talking with raising from the bar stools.

"I wonder where they're going? Sit down." After Brian sat down, Verone turned to Rome. "So you lit my man's car on fire. Is that right?"

"Yeah, I did. You see, I got a problem with authority."

Verone just nodded at this. Thank god, crisis avoided, a thought formed in Brian's brain. "I have the same problem. For me, it's cops in particular. Alright, let's take a walk. Come on," he said and rose from his seat, followed by Brian, Rome and Monica.

"We just got here," Monica remarked.

"And now we're leaving."

They eventually walked to a hallway, where Brian spotted an emergency exit. But it was most likely bolted up, so Brian didn't really put his hopes in it. Also, he got a bit anxious when he saw the two goons of Verone following them. But being a USMC Force Recon Staffy, he wasn't going to show his fear and continued to walk as if nothing had happened.

They walked to a room, where Brian saw a bucket, a towel on top of it, two gloves, three nylon ropes and a heater lying on the table.

"What's all that?" Rome asked.

"We're going to have a little fun," Verone smirked as he opened a champagne bottle.

Just then, the same woman and the fat man walked into the same room. "Hey, Carter," the fat man said.

Verone turned to Brian and Rome. "Meet Detective Whitworth. One of Miami's finest." He turned to the woman. "Thank you, sweetheart," he said and she left, before he turned back to the fat guy. "You enjoying yourself, Detective?"

"Yeah, I was. I mean, you know me."

"Yeah. I do know you. You've been on my payroll a long time."

"Verone, that ain't right."

"Shut up. I've got one last job for you. You hear me?"

"Look, we've been through this."

„Yeah?"

„Yeah, and I said I can't do it."

„That's the wrong answer. The table."

With extreme force, the two goons pushed Whitworth on the table and tied him up.

„I'm a detective, Verone!" he yelled. „You do anything to me, the whole force will be on your ass in a minute."

„Shut your mouth, you fat piece of shit."

„Stop right now."

But Verone now took the towel off the bucket and took a rat out of it.

„What the hell?"

„Sit down," Verone told Brian and Rome, who obeyed.

„You're going to regret this. Stop right now!"

„Once the bucket gets hot enough, Detective, the rat is gonna want out. And the only direction it can go is south," Verone now placed the rat on Whitworth's stomach and covered it with the bucket, which one of the goons then started to hold.

„Get it off me! I'll forget it-"

„Shut up," Verone said and grabbed the heater, starting to burn the bucket. „Did you know that your average rat can chew through a steel drainpipe? You have nothing to worry about when he's screaming. It's when he goes quiet that he goes to work."

„Stop it."

Brian was watching the show quite anxiously. Mostly because it reminded him of the way he was tortured in Afghanistan.

* * *

_Kandahar, early 2005_

_Several bullets were flying over Corporal Brian O'Conner's head. He had got separated from the rest of his team and was currently fighting with guys from now they had to fight for survival. The OpFors around them were quite goodly equipped. Heck, they even had a heavy machine gun on their position, and now it was running at 600 rpm, spitting out Soviet 14.5mm rounds. Brian remembered what he had witnessed three years ago, when he was still attending USMC school of infantry. He remembered damage caused by the .50 BMG round as it traveled through the skull, warping the bone as it carved its way through and entered the soft tissue of the brain. The spray of blood would erupt from the back of the target's head, splattering onto the wall behind him as the bullet continued on its path. Gravity would then care of the rest and body would fall in the same spot where the person had stood a second before__. Yet the Soviet 14.5mm was even more powerful and could penetrate any bulletproof vest, making it extremely lethal in 1000 meters._

_"I need suppressive fire on that MG!" Brian yelled. He loaded his M16A2 rifle with the last magazine and the inserted the last grenade into the underbarrel M203, As the enemy machinegunners started to reload, Brian took a quick aim at the machine-gunner through his ACOG scope and pulled the trigger. Three rounds were fired and Brian saw the machine-gunner fall. He quickly took down four another insurgents near the MG, then ducked behind his cover._

_Then his M16A2 ran out of ammo, but Brian pulled out his holstered M9A1 and started firing at the insurgents. However, the next second he saw an insurgent firing a RPG-7 at his position. Luckily, the RPG only hit the sandbag, but the force threw Brian back some 25 feet, and then he landed hard on the ground, before blacking out._  
_When he regained consciousness, he was in extreme pain and found himself tied up in a quite dark grimy room on a table. Just then, his captors walked in.  
_

_„Ah, you're finally awake, you American bastard," one of them said.  
_

_"What do you want?" Brian asked.  
_

_"Shut up!" a captor yelled and slapped Brian across his face with his revolver. "You will only talk when we tell you to, ya hear?"  
_

_"Go to hell, you bit-" Brian got slapped in the face again.  
_

_"You really are stupid, aren't you? Now tell us where the other guys are."  
_

_"Fuck off." This earned him a smack on stomach by another captor with an AK-47 rifle butt.  
_

_Seeing that this will not make Brian talk, one captor brought out a piece of cloth and covered Brian's face with it, then another one started pouring water over his face.  
Brian started to feel as if he was drowning. He was slowly suffocating from the overflow of the water, but the guys kept on going on._

_"Do you want to speak now, bitch?" a captor asked._

_"No."  
_

_"This isn't the answer I wanted to hear." The others now continued to add water.  
_

_They tried the waterboarding for almost three minutes, or as it seemed to Brian, an eternity. And seeing that he surely wasn't going to talk, they decided to kill Brian.  
_

_Then one insurgent loaded his old Mauser rifle and aimed it at Brian, but before he could pull the trigger, the door suddenly busted open and gunfire started. Brian suddenly saw __a guy walking over to him._

_„Hey, O'Conner," he said, and then cut the ropes loose with his bayonet and took off the wet cloth, allowing Brian to get up from the table. However, being in a lot of pain, Brian couldn't get up. So his saviors then came there and lifted him up from the table. From there, Brian could hardly manage on his own.  
_

_Brian looked at his saviors. Lance Corporal Henrique Bregados. His Assistant Automatic Rifleman. This half-Costa Rican, half-Dominican guy from San Antonio, Texas, who had joined the Corps after high school graduation in 2003. Ant the other guy was Brian's Automatic Rifleman, Private First Class Randall Rafer, clutching a M249 in his hands.  
_

_„Gracias, Rique, and Randy."  
_

_„De nada. Oh, and here's your rifle," Henrique said and handed Brian the M16A2 he had picked up from the room. It still had the M203 grenade launcher fitted under the barrel. _

_„And the pistol," Brian took the M9A1 from Henrique. „Now let's get outta here. Mike is waiting there."  
_

_The three Marines now exited the „House of Torture", where they met up with another fireteam, and the leader of the recovery operation. Corporal Mike Eastler, also the leader of 1st team, while Brian was the leader of 3rd team.  
_

_"Good to see you back in action, O'Conner. Let's go, we're twenty minutes from the base."  
_

_„Damn. Any of you guys got a lighter or matches?"  
_

_„Why?"  
_

_„I don't want to be haunted by the memory of being tortured here by those dumb-ass insurgents, so, I'd like to burn this shithole to the ground. And I don't care what Colin __would say."_

_„We won't do that!" Mike yelled. "We only came here to find you and bring you back. The recover missions are black ops, and when we burn it down, it'd draw the attention of the other bastards and they'll come here and kill all of us!"  
_

_"I don't care!" Brian yelled. "This house must burn down!"  
_

_"Not. Fucking. Happening." Mike now stepped in front of Brian.  
_

_"Get the fuck out of my way," Brian snarled. "I'm going to torch it."  
_

_Mike didn't respond. But with a great deal of effort, Brian managed to push Mike out of the way before trying to walk to the gas can around the corner. But this wasn't over. Mike ran over to Brian and pulled him down to the ground.  
_

_"Listen, O'Conner. We are not going to torch it and give ourselves away. So now we go back to the base. Get your rifle ready."  
_

_"Oh, suck a dick, Mike! Here, you can have my guns, and all the bullets, and all the grenades." Brian tossed his M16A2 to the ground along with the M9A1.  
_

_"The torture's making you real moody, O'Conner? Maybe you should take it up with a shrink later. See if it would help you."  
_

_"I'm not going to see a shrink."  
_

_"Yet I think you should if you're gonna continue acting like an asshole. Oh, and if Colin finds out, you'll be in huge trouble."_

_Eventually Brian gave in and they started to move back towards the camp. __„Okay. Anybody got any ammo?" Brian asked and picked his M16A2 and the M9A1 off the ground where he had tossed them._

_Henrique reached into his pouch and handed Brian a magazine. Brian now loaded his gun and they were ready to leave.  
_

_About some 7 minutes later, they encountered some 40 insurgents patrolling the area and no way of getting out of there without being spotted.  
"Shit. Take cover, guys."  
_

_The seven Marines now crouched behind some sandbags. Brian double-checked his M16A2, M203 and M9A1 while Rique performed the same routine check on his M16A2 and Randy got his MG ready.  
_

_"Alright, open fire now!" Mike said, then they opened fire on the insurgents.  
_

_They all took down four insurgents each, and then the others started to flee.  
_

_"Keep up the fire! O'Conner, you go flank them!" Mike yelled. Brian crawled to another cover, followed by Rique and Randy, closer to the enemy, while Mike's team continued to fire. And now, using the Four F's he learned at Boot Camp (Find, Fix, Flank and Finish), Brian effortlessly took down five more OpFors. Then another five arrived, but now Brian finished them, and the last survivor, having run out of ammo, fled.  
_

_Brian now walked over to the dead OpFors and unloaded their weapons, getting over 1,000 7.62x39mm bullets that the AK-47s used.  
_

_"Stick with me, guys, and let's go find the rest of the squad." Brian said.  
_

_After a 500-yard walk, for which Brian had to be assisted by Mike and Rique, they eventually encountered the second fireteam.  
_

_"Good to have to back with us. Now let's get back to the base, it's just 500 yards from here."  
_

_And it was true It only took them ten minutes to arrive at the base, where their squad leader, Sergeant Colin McDonnell was waiting. Colin was around a year older than Brian and from Omaha, Nebraska. In 1995 he had joined up the USMC after high school. Now he was a Sergeant and their squad leader with ten years of experience  
_

_"Glad to see you're all right, Brian. You okay?"  
_

_"Yeah, sort of. Especially when Mike and the team here busted me out of the assholes' torture house. They should get an award for it."  
_

_"Alright. I'll report it to the Platoon Leader, maybe they'd get a Bronze Star, while you might get a Prisoner of War Medal. Now you guys go get some rest."_

* * *

„You boys enjoy the show?" Verone asked.

Brian snapped back to Earth.

„Fifteen minutes, and then every cop in Florida's gonna be on you. Be at Versailles Café at 6 a.m., day after tomorrow, ready to drive. You understand?"

„Yeah."

„Don't play games with me or you'll be next. All right? Help yourself to a little champagne. Let's go," Verone said and left with Monica.

„That was a damn rat," Rome said.

„Let's get out of here while we still can," Brian said. They left the club and drove back to Tej's.

„She was into it, bruh. What was that about?" Rome asked. „You saw the way she grabbed the dude's head."

„She had to, man. He was testing her. Her ass is on the line, like ours."

„You're feeling this girl way too much. She's just like that crazy ass trailer rat from back in the day, Tanya."

„Tanya? Man, you went out with her after I did."

„I couldn't let it go to waste."

They now walked over to Tej, Suki and Jimmy, who were busy playing poker.

„We're going to crash, Tej. We'll see ya tomorrow."

* * *

The next morning, Brian's sixth sense kicked in again. He began to feel that he had company in the boathouse. How his fingers itched for his M16A2, fitted with the all the accessories, with Brian's favorite being the M203 grenade launcher. But now it was in North Carolina in Camp Lejeune's armory, when he had handed it in. Probably it wasn't that far ago, maybe just two or three weeks. He briefly thought about the Rifleman's Creed he had learned in the boot camp: "My rifle is my best friend. Without it I'm useless and without me my rifle is useless."

But on the other hand, Brian still had his second degree black belt at MCMAP. He opened his eyes and slowly turned around, ready to face whatever might come. He quickly pushed the intruder down on the bed and got the intruder in a choke position, and then found himself staring into Monica's eyes. He quickly released her.

"Monica, why are you sneaking up on me like this? You know I have a MCMAP black belt, I could have had easily killed you, even without my rifle. I could easily break your neck with my technique."

"Sorry. But I had to talk to you."

"Fine. Speak up."

"They're gonna kill you. I heard him telling Enrique and Roberto. Once you finish the run, they're putting a bullet in your head," Monica said with a shaky voice.

"You sure you heard him right?"

"I'm sure."

Just then, the boathouse's door opened and Rome walked in. "Verone's boys is outside..." he paused when he saw Monica. "Why, I see what they're looking for. Your little girlfriend here."

"They don't know I'm here, I snuck out," Monica said.

"What the hell are they doing here then?" Rome asked.

"I don't know, maybe they're guessing."

The Marine now started putting on his shirt. He was thinking of a plan. "Go stall them, like, for two minutes," he told Rome.

"Check her, homey. Check her," Rome quickly said and left.

"Brian, this isn't about being a good cop or doing your job. They're gonna kill you, you gotta pull out."

"I think you're forgetting I'm a Marine Corps Force Recon Staff Sergeant. I could easily deal with those punks."

"It doesn't matter. Be careful, okay?"

"Yeah."

"Don't make that run, Brian," Monica said, then kissed him and disappeared into the bathroom.

"Be careful," Brian said and walked outside to relieve Rome.

"Donde esta?" one of the goon boys asked him.

"Que?" he asked.

"Go check out," The bald goon now walked into the boathouse.

Rome jumped ahead of him, blocking the way, but the goon brandished a pistol, booking no argument, before going into the boathouse.  
Brian got very anxious. _Did Monica get out safe_? he thought and started to follow the bald goon on the boat, but was grabbed by the other goon, who aimed his Heckler & Koch USP .45 at him.

"Hey, where are you going? You stay right here with us, buddy."

Brian really wanted to punch his lights out with his MCMAP skills and then throw him off the deck, but he refrained from it. If they later reported to Verone and he arrived being soaked and having a nasty scar, Verone might kill them.

Rome was now trying his luck with going on the boathouse, but was stopped by the goon. "Don't even think about it," he turned his pistol on Rome, before turning back on Brian. The Marine didn't tense and stayed motionless.

Just a few second later, the bald goon returned. They began to leave, but then Rome launched at him. "Stay your ass off my homeboy's boat!"

The bald guy then turned around and elbowed Rome with quite a force, before getting punched in the face by Rome.

Now the Marine also turned the tables. With his MCMAP skills he punched the goon keeping his gun on him and knocked him off the deck whilst taking the gun with him.  
Rome and the bald guy continued to fight, but the goon pulled out a gun. Luckily, before he could use it, Brian jumped at the goon and pushed him down to the ground and disarmed him. He now started choking the goon using his MCMAP technique, but made sure not to kill the goon.

However, even though Brian was very strong from his Marine Corps years and had the MCMAP black belt, the goon had more strength and endurance, making it an equal match. Meanwhile, seeing that the other goon was attempting to get back on the deck, Rome pushed him off again and he fell back to the water.

They were well into a fight, when they suddenly heard Verone's voice. "Enough,"

Brian released the bald goon, who now attempted to charge at him, but Verone cut in. "I said enough." The bald guy started to protest, but Verone silenced him with a stern "Shut up.". "It's over, come on."

The bald guy now walked over to the deck and pulled out the another goon. He was quite well soaked now.

Brian now unloaded both pistols he had confiscated and gave them back to the goons.

"Glad to see you can stand on your own," Verone said. "Alright, come here, boys."

The goons now walked over to Verone..

"I'm glad to see you boys are getting along so well," Verone said with a smirk on his face. "Because tomorrow, Roberto and Enrique will be riding along with you. Just so we don't have any problems. I'll see you guys in a bit," Verone turned to leave, followed by the goons.

"What the hell was she doing in here?" Rome asked once they had left.

"She told me the bad news. Verone's planning to kill us once we've completed the run."

"Shit. What are we gonna do then?"

"I don't know. But I hope my Marine buddies would arrive soon and help us out. Well, let's go tell Bilkins and Markham the news. Maybe they can think about something."

* * *

**Author's note: Domo arigato to Spyridon for t****he suggestions I didn't really think of. The HS Advanced Placements are being total brain-killers and my brain isn't really working at it's best. So basically, I think for this update, you could consider Spyridon to be a co-author/beta of some sort :D**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Thanks to Spyridon for a quick beta review on LJ.**

* * *

**Brian O'Conner, Semper Fidelis**  
**Chapter 4**

* * *

It took Brian and Rome half an hour to arrive at the Customs office, where the superiors were already waiting.

„Nice shirt, Bilkins," Brian commented on the Hawaiian shirt Bilkins was wearing.

„It's my day off."

„Well, anyhow, this is the deal. Last night Verone threatened a cop into giving us a window. We're driving to an airstrip in the Keys, off Nallwood Avenue. Verone has a plane there and he's taking off for good."

„Wait a minute," Markham cut in. „How do you know this?"

„Monica."

„She did her job," Rome said. Seemed like he was slowly starting to trust her. „She warned us."

„She warned you about what?" Bilkins asked.

„Verone plans to kill us after we give him the money," Brian hit Bilkins up with the info.

„Driving into the ambush wasn't part of the deal. I'm calling it off."

„Like hell you are," Markham cut in. „This is a Customs case, Bilkins. No one's calling this off unless I do." Markham now turned to Brian and Rome. „Look, this is real simple," he said and picked up two two-ways from the table. „Make the run, get Verone and his cash together, so I can move in with the bust, alright? You don't, and I'll file enough charges on both of you to make you two disappear. Take these. Oh, and why are you even worrying? O'Conner, you're a Marine Corps Force Recon Staff Sergeant with a black belt at your martial arts, right? So this could be a piece of cake for you."

Brian's brain went into overdrive. _Did he really mean it or was he just taunting? _He thought, but just then, Markham continued.

„We're gonna have GPS on you the whole time, just to make sure you don't get any cute ideas."

„And to make sure nothing happens to them, right?" Bilkins asked.

„Yeah, right," Markham said with an annoyed voice then left. Seemed that to him, Brian and Rome were just tools to get the job done.

Brian and Rome also left, while Rome was throwing an angry glance at Markham. „That guy's a dick."

„Yup."

„Let me get this right. If we don't do this then we go to jail, but if we do it, then Verone's gonna kill us."

„It's a hell of a deal, huh?"

„Yeah. Maybe it is. But I know this guy 's got an ass full of loot that he's ready to dump in our cars. I can think of two reasons why Verone doesn't need that money anymore."

„Here we go."

„You and me, just like the old days. What do you think?"

„I think they messed with the wrong two guys, that's what I think."

He took out his cellphone and called a number, but only got confirmation that the cellphone was either switched off or out of area. Probably Paul was aboard a plane and on his way here to Miami.

Then he called another number. „Yo, Tej, what's up bro?"

„Yo man, whaddup?"

„Hey man, how quickly can you organise?"

Brian and Rome now drove to the warehouse just three miles away, where Tej was already waiting.

„Look, if y'all really wanna carry out this plan, this is definitely the best place to do it. What do y'all think?"

„I think it's perfect," the Marine said. „So, what do they store here?"

„Well, let's find out."

They now walked into the warehouse where they saw many cars, along with the Yenko and Challenger they had won just yesterday, and got to working on their cars.

Meanwhile, Brian was working on the Camaro, when a Marine thought formed in his brain. He remembered once seeing a F-15 Eagle flying high over his head, in Afghanistan. Of course, the jet had a ejector seat. While they couldn't equip an ejector seat in the car, they could use an alternative.

He started laughing at the thought before turning to the mechanic. „Hey Jimmy, you have any half-empty bottles of nitrous laying around?"

„Sure, but I've already loaded you for spray."

„No. I'm thinking we may need it for something else. Our cars may get a little crowded, you know?"

„That's one hell of a good thought," Jimmy laughed. „Well, I think I can find some."

„Thanks. You the man."

* * *

Eventually, as the night fell, Brian and Rome had finished working on their cars and went to grab a bite. As now they sat on the pier, Brian saw Rome still eating a hotdog.

„Man, when did you start eating so much?"

„I was in jail, bruh. I know how shitty the grub is on the inside. The way things are shaping up out here right now, it'll be a matter of time before I'm back in there or dead. So I'm trying to eat all I can while I can. Plus the doctor tells me I got a high metabolism."

They both laughed at that. Brian briefly thought back. Yesterday it had been the first time in a while when he actually had normal food. In Afghanistan, he was mostly living off the MREs or local sheep, if he was lucky to get any.

„Man, you remember us growing up?"

„Yeah. I remember when we met in juvie. I had just been shipped from Alabama to Barstow, to Tommy's just seven months ago, when I got sent to juvie."

„Playing football in the dirt? Getting into trouble, all the stupid things we did instead of properly attending high school?"

„Yeah. Sorry for your mom by the way. Was her death the reason you got released from the juvie early?"

„Yeah. When you got busted, you know whether I was a cop or not, if there was anything I could have done, I would have done it. I just want you to know that."

„Is that why you let that dude go in LA?"

„Yeah. I think that had a lot to do with it."

„When I got busted, it wasn't your fault," Rome was finally admitting it. „It was all on me, Mr. Roman Pearce. Wild and out, crazy man. No one could tell me nothing, riding solo. Uncle Tom had to work hard in Barstow so he couldn't keep me, and Mom? She and dad broke up in '99 and she died in 2002 in Biloxi, Mississippi, and then I was allowed to relocate to Sweet Home Alabama, on probation. Dad was doing a ten-year stretch in Louisiana, and sis had moved north to Chattanooga, Tennessee."

„Yeah, well, you ain't riding solo anymore."

They shook hands and laughed. _Friends again,_ Brian thought happily.

* * *

And as the hostility between them was gone, Brian slept easily this night. But, around three AM, they were interrupted. Brian and Rome were sound asleep in the boathouse, when suddenly the door busted open.

Brian got up again. His M16A2 was still absent, but he was highly skilled in MCMAP, so he was ready to face whatever might come. But this time, he found himself staring into a pistol muzzle. He opened his eyes, and to his surprise, the one pointing the gun at him was Suki.

„Yo, what the fuck, Suki?" he asked.

„Get up! You too, black guy!" Suki ordered with a harsh tone.

Rome also got up, then Suki turned the .380 pistol at him, before turning it to both of them.

„Suki? What's like, going on?" Brian asked.

„Yeah, like what the fuck?" Rome asked.

„What's going on? Let me tell you what's going on. I got pulled over by the cops today, and I heared out that you two are FBI informants. So what do you think what's going on?"

„Yes, Suki, it's true," Brian said. „But we're not after you and Tej."

„Oh, really? They who are you after?"

„Look, Suki, why are you making a scene out of it? I already told you we are not after Tej and you."

„Answer the question, bitch!"

„It's Carter Verone. Drug lord from Argentina, now owns the biggest import-export business in the state of Florida."

„Too bad. I wish I hadn't heard that," Suki said and cocked the pistol.

„So wait a minute. You're actually, like, working for Verone?" Brian asked.

„Bingo, boys," Suki smirked. „Too bad you won't be around for long now to inform your Fed buddies."

„But Suki-" Brian started, but was interrupted by the boathouse door opening.

„Hey, Suks, are you in here—what the fuck?" Tej asked when he saw what Suki was doing.

„They're FBI informants, trying to bring our asses in."

„Is that true?" Tej asked with a stern tone.

„Yes, it is. But we're not after you," Brian said. „We're after drug lord named Carter Verone."

„See, Suki, it's all right," Tej said. „Now would you stop this bullshit? Yeah, our activities may not be the most lawful at times, but at least we got confirmation they're not trying to bring us in. Unless they lie, of course. But remember, boys, if you do lie to me, you'll be in huge trouble. Now let's go. Come back to bed, Suks."

„Actually, I do have a problem with that."

„Then what?" Tej asked.

„You see, I'm also on Verone's payroll."

„What? You were working with the organized crime guys?"

„Trying to make a bit of extra money, yeah."

Suddenly Tej started to shake with anger. Eleven years ago, he had barely managed to get off his deal with the Mafia, for which he had his garage opened. Even though he had managed to pay the Mob for their help, he then cut his ties with them. Luckily, the Mob didn't come around asking for „protection money", so things were good. But he didn't still want any of his crew to be involved with outside organized crime.

„So you were working for Verone? Fuck you, you cocksucking bitch!" Tej said. He was about to punch Suki, but he had forgotten that she had a brown belt at both Karate and Judo. So then, Suki effortlessly blocked his attack and knocked him down.

„What a shame. I might now have to kill three of you," she remarked.

Suki aimed the pistol at Brian and was ready to pull the trigger, but just then, somebody bashed her on the head and she fell down, dropping the pistol.

However, this wasn't the end. Tough as she was, Suki refused to go down without a fight. She aimed at the attacker, but didn't know he actually had a third-degree MCMAP black belt, not that she even knew about Brian's second degree black belt. So this meant they were both equal.

The fight was on. Suki pushed the attacker down to the ground, but was pushed off the same time and got herself knocked down. They fought for a minute, before Suki eventually managed to pick up the pistol she dropped to the ground and aim it at the adversary.

Luckily, just then Brian saw his advantage. He kicked her with extreme force, causing her to drop the pistol again, which Brian then kicked out of the boathouse. Then he grabbed Suki and allowed the other guy to easily knock her out with a single punch.

„Now you're tamed," Brian remarked. He now turned up to see who his savior was and saw the Sergeant Major.

„So you still found time to drop by, Paul."

„Yea, I did. But I didn't know your cover was already compromised."

„Hey, hold up, hold up. Would someone tell me what's going on?" Tej asked.

„Oh. Well, actually I had lied to you before. My real name isn't Brian Kevin McReece, it's Brian O'Conner," Brian now decided to tell the truth. "And I'm not from Virginia, but from California. I used to be a cop, but I failed at it, then I went to the Marine Corps. I became a Force Recon Staff Sergeant, with nine years of experience. While everything about Rome is true, he actually is from Alabama. And this guy is my mentor, Sergeant Major Paul Carson. Anyway, two weeks ago I was given a chance for a fresh start by the FBI if I came down here to Miami and brought the Verone guy to justice. But I swear, our operation has nothing to do with you guys. So well, you may let us stay here or kick us out, but you don't need to worry or interfere."

„Well, you can stay. And I'll help you out with the scramble."  
„Thanks, bro. Sorry about Suki, anyway."

„Nah. She wasn't really my girl. We were like on, off, off, on, off ."

„Okay."

„Alright, glad to see you're okay now," Paul said. „I''ll drop her off to the cops now."

„No, Paul, we can't. You see, the Verone guy also had several cops on his payroll, it would endanger our operation even more. And tomorrow we're making a run for Verone to a airstrip, off the Nallwood Avenue."

„Okay. Then I'll keep her hidden away until you're done. You know, just to avoid the chance that she might get bailed out by Verone and your cover might get blown."

„Thanks, bro," Brian said and shook hands with Paul. „Oh, I almost forgot. Paul Carson, this is Roman Pearce, my Alabama friend. We met in juvie, and well, he's the guy who runs his mouth and gets us into trouble. And the guy with cornrows is Tej Parker. He's local and owns the garage. We just became friends a couple of days ago."

„Oh. Well, nice to meet you guys," Paul shook hands with both Tej and Rome. „Anyway, if you need any help tomorrow, let me know," Paul said and picked Suki up from the floor.

„This isn't over, you won't get away with this!" Suki started to yell. „Verone would soon know about everything, you guys are dead meat."

But it didn't help as Paul led her away and into the Humvee parked outside.

Now Tej went back to his boathouse, and Brian and Rome got back to sleep.

* * *

At 5 AM, Brian and Rome were ready to drive. They got in their cars and drove away from the garage.

However, just ten blocks away, as they were driving to Versailles Restaurant, a car suddenly crashed into Brian's Nissan. He looked into the rearview mirror and saw... Suki's pink S2000, with two girls driving it, one of them was brandishing a gun. And then, a pink Mazda MX-5 Miata was suddenly driving at high speed towards them, with another two girls in the car, one with a gun. Then he remembered. They were Suki's girls, who had often accompanied her at the races and at parties. But he would have never thought they'd also took over her duties for Verone.

„Shit, Rome. We got trouble."  
„I got you. Who knew Suki's girls would be so hostile when we get her removed from the scene? But well, let's do this. Show 'em how the huge V10 truck-engined supercar kicks ass." Rome clearly had developed an attachment to his Viper.

Brian and Rome both stepped on the gas and took off, but Suki's girls were now chasing them with NOS and firing at them.

„Oh shit," Rome said. „There better be not a single bullet-hole on my Viper or I'm gonna get real mad."

„I think I got a plan," Brian said. „Rome, how much time we have left till 6 AM?"

„About thirty-five."

„Good. Then let's take a detour and shove 'em off the bridge. I'm thinking of 163rd Street."

„Okay. We'll approaching Hallandale soon, let's get rid of them."

They now continued on Collins Ave to the 163rd Street Causeway, Brian threw a glance into the rearview mirror and saw the S2000 still chasing him. With the Marine thinking, he eventually decided to play chicken again. He pulled the handbrake and made a 180, before starting to speed towards the S2000, without slowing down.

The girls started to panic. The one behind the wheel swerved to avoid the crazy blond, but having the NOS still on was a mistake, as they now crashed through the barrier and drove straight into the water.

„One down, another to go."

Rome already had a plan. His Viper's V10 engine was quite torquey, so he now braked before going to spin the Miata out of control. Then he turned around and briefly touched the Mazda with the Viper's front end. He switched to first gear and stepped on the gas, thus easily pushing the Mazda off the bridge.

„Woo! Another one down. Mr, O'Conner, let's go to the café now."

„Thanks, Rome," Brian chuckled. He now took out his cellphone and called Bilkins, telling him to have Suki's girls picked up on a police barge.

Despite the little incident on the bridge, Brian and Rome arrived at the restaurant by 5.56 AM.

„Here we go," Rome said.

„Yeah, so you know what to do. Stay cool, keep focused. Remember the airstrip's off Nallwood Avenue, third exit after the bridge."

„Got it."

„You ready for this?"

„Come on, man. Guns, murderers and crooked cops? I was made for this, bruh!"

Just then, they saw a Dodge Durango pull up, with the same goon-boys, Enrique and Roberto, who visited them yesterday at the boathouse in the car.

„Follow our lead," the goons said.

They drove to the trailer park, where Brian saw the goons take out two hammers from the trunk, and looking really tough. _Did they know anything?_ He thought.

„Come on," Roberto said, then Enrique knocked on the door. After passing a few words, they saw a Latino guy, smaller than them, exit the trailer with a duffle bag.

* * *

Brian and Rome waited outside, then they heard a smash coming from the trailer. They went to look and saw Enrique and Roberto smashing the wall with hammers, revealing several cash piles. _What a smart way to hide the laundered money_, Brian thought. Just then, Enrique tossed them a duffel bag loaded with money.

„Load up."

They now loaded three bags in both cars, and were ready to leave, when they suddenly heard sirens approaching. Brian saw many cop cars approaching. They now ran to the cars, but just as Rome was about to get in his Viper, he stopped. „I'm not going back to jail."

„Where are you going, man? Let's go!" Enrique yelled.

Rome picked up a heavy stone and put it on the Durango's accelerator pedal, then started the car, pulled the gear lever down, disengaged the handbrake and the cruise missile was on its way. It managed to slow down the cops enough, allowing Brian and Rome to drive away from the scene.

They drove to the interstate, but then again got cops on their tail.

However, suddenly a chopper flew right over their heads, and two cops aimed what looked like a electromagnetic pulse gun at them. Rome managed to get swerve and escape it, but Brian's Nissan got hit with the harpoon.

Brian looked at his GT-R's LCD screen as it suddenly cut out, and the speed began to drop.

„Come on, man. Take the wheel."

„No no no, I can't drive."

„Just hold the wheel! Put your hands on it, hold it right there! Hold steady just like that!" Brian said before reaching out of the window to get the EMP harpoon removed. He pulled a piece of cloth from his red shirt and with a great deal of effort started to pull out the EMP, now when they were already driving on grass.

With all his Marine strength, Brian finally managed to get the EMP harpoon out and threw it straight into a chasing Crown Victoria's grill, leaving behind a cop car pileup.

They now drove off I-95, leaving behind yet another cop car pileup at the offramp. Brian now nodded at Rome through the window. While driving though the streets, avoiding the roadblocks and chasing cop cars, they eventually arrived to the warehouse. There were two open doors which they drove through, then the doors were closed and cops started to pile up on the outside.

„Alright, change of cars!" Brian yelled. He now opened the trunk and put the duffle bags in the Camaro's trunk and got in the car with Enrique while Rome and Roberto moved the duffle bags to Challenger's trunk. Then the warehouse doors got opened again and four Dodge Rams drove out of the garage to push the cop cars out of the way, before all doors were opened and all kinds of street racing cars drove out of the garage, creating a huge scramble.

"Yo, let's break," Brian said and then all the cars drove out of the warehouse area, also including the Nissan and Viper.

Brian and Rome stayed in the garage for a while, before turning to the freeway in their muscle cars.

„Hey, Tej, thanks a lot, bro," Brian said. „You're the clutch, I owe you big time."

„Yeah, Brian, you really do owe me. You really do... Us. Jimmy says you owe us, all right?"

„Okay, Tej. I'll make it up to you when we get back to garage."

They now drove off the avenue, before Brian turned to Rome. „Rome, you there? Come in."

„What's up, man?"  
„Looks like we got just one more trick left."

„My pleasure, buddy. Let's do it, baby!"

Two minutes later, Brian picked up his two-way. „Mr. O'Conner, it worked!" he heard Rome's happy voice. „Blow and go, baby, I'm all clear. Meet me at the point. Hurry up, it's on."

„All right. 10-4, man."

After another minute of driving, the Marine was also ready to get rid of his extra weight. However, before he could push the button, Enrique said: „Get off at Tarpon Point."

„Tarpon Point? There's no airstrip at Tarpon Point."

„Who said anything about an airstrip?"

_Damn. So Verone was fooling us from the beginning_, Brian thought.

„Brian?" he heard from the two-way. „Brian, man, what's the holdup, bro?"

„Yo, Rome, there's a new plan."

„What the hell?"

„We're meeting him at the Tarpon Point exit, not the airstrip."

„So what are you saying?"

„Like I said, there's a new plan." Brian said and looked at Enrique, who was smirking. _Damn, he knew_.

They eventually arrived at Tarpon Point, where Brian immediately spotted Verone's Navigator and a yacht. Then a guy approached, aiming a rifle at Brian.

Just then, Verone got out of the Navigator, holding a shotgun in his hand.

„Get out," the guy with rifle told Brian.

Brian obeyed. He was ready to use his MCMAP skills if ready, but hoped he wouldn't have to.

„Pop the trunk," Enrique said.

Brian opened the trunk and then the goons carried the three duffle bags to Verone.

„Where's the rest?" Verone asked.

„The other car."

„Another car? Where's the other car?"

„On its way."

„On the way?"

„Yeah. Here's your money."

„So you know nothing about the agents that stormed my jet?"

„No."

„The funny thing is I only told one person about the airstrip," Verone said and turned to Monica. „Customs agents sure are getting pretty, aren't they? Put her on the boat."

Monica refused to get on the boat, but had to rethink when Verone aimed his shotgun at her, while Enrique kept his P226 trained on Brian.

„Hide the cars and get rid of him," Verone ordered.

„Back in the car," Enrique said. They now drove for some 100 yards. „End of the road. You know, I like you, but I still got to kill you. It's my job."

"Yeah?" Brian asked. "Well, I don't like you," he said and pushed the ejector seat button, but nothing happened.

„What's that?" Enrique asked and cocked the gun. Brian pushed again. „What's that?"

„It's Barstow, baby!" came from the two-way. „It's about to get ugly!"

Brian and Enrique looked behind and saw Rome crash into the Navigator, what then also smashed into the Camaro. Brian now used his MCMAP skills on Enrique, but still failed to get the gun.

The fight was going on, but suddenly Enrique bit Brian in the shoulder, but Brian easily silenced him with a elbow hit to the face. Just then, Rome opened the door and pulled both of them out, before kicking Enrique in the face, who then released Brian, who grabbed the gun.

Rome threw a hard punch at Enrique, then Brian delivered just one hard MCMAP kick at Enrique, knocking him out for good.

They now ran to the river, where they saw Verone waving at them, having Monica as a hostage.

_No one gets left behind_, Brian thought about the Marine code. „Alright, back to the car."

Brian and Rome got in the Camaro and kicked off the bullet-holed windscreen and drove off.

„I thought you was dead, man," Rome said.

„Me? Dead? Rome, I'm a motherfucking Marine! But still, thanks for saving my ass."

„What are you doing, Brian?"

„I don't know, but if Verone sees a helicopter or Customs boat, she's dead."

„Boat. Car. Boat. You're not gonna do what I think you're gonna do?"

„Yeah, I think so. You got my back?"

„Yeah. Semper Fidelis, bro."

Brian chuckled at Rome using the USMC slogan. „Alright, put on your seat belt."

„Show him some real Dukes of Hazzard shit!"

„We're gonna do this big! Hold on, Rome!" Brian now started up the Camaro.

„Brian, you're crazy, man!" Rome yelled as they drove for the ramp. „What the hell are you doing?"

They eventually made a jump for it, but landed just some 20-30 feet short of the yacht.

Brian and Rome quickly exited the car and surfaced, then suddenly Brian saw a ladder descending. He looked up and saw a Huey circling around in the air, with Paul waving at them.

„Let's go, Rome."

Brian and Rome quickly grabbed the ladder, which then started to lift. Brian was the first to get onboard, then Paul handed him a M40A5 USMC sniper rifle. „You think you can handle it, O'Conner?"

„Oh yes I do." Brian now took an aim and pulled the trigger. One henchman was down. He pulled back the bolt handle and chambered another round, before taking down two more henchmen. Then he finally aimed at Verone and pulled the trigger. He saw Verone fall from getting hit with the .308 bullet, but still alive. Brian now accepted the M1911A1 Paul offered him and from the ladder, descended on the boat, but then stumbled on Verone, who was still alive and attempted to grab the shotgun. But just then Monica kicked his hand away and picked the shotgun up, before aiming it at Verone. „It's over, Carter."

„You okay?" Brian asked.

„Yeah, I'm great."

„We got him, man," Rome said from the chopper. „We got him. Let's get out of here."

Then Rome, Paul and other two Marines now descended on the boat. One of the Marines now got the boat started again, and they drove back to the docks, where it was immediately surrounded by Customs agents.

* * *

Brian and Rome were now sitting on the crates, when Markham approached them. „So there were three bags total? The three from the boat?"

Brian stayed quiet and Rome asked: "So we're good, right? Our records clean?"

"You held up your end," Markham said. "Your records are clean.

Brian and Rome traded glances and Brian nodded slightly. Rome now stood up from his seat and walked over to the Challenger, opening the trunk and taking out the other three bags, which he then carried to Markham. "So maybe there were six bags. I guess we can call it even."

"Agent Dunn," Markham said before shaking hands with Brian and Rome with a smile on his face. Seemed to Brian and Rome that he wasn't really that much of an asshole after all, just sceptical if they would deliberately fail again. "We found some more evidence," Markham now left.

Dunn and the other Customs agents grabbed the bags and left.

Brian and Rome looked at Verone being treated by two paramedics of the bullet wound. "Don't drop the soap, big homey," Rome laughed. But Verone also seemed satisfied.

"I hope you know when he gets out, he's gonna kill your ass," Brian remarked.

Rome continued to laugh. "He ain't getting out."

Verone now stood up from his seat. "I see you soon," he laughed.

"You think he's gonna get out?" Rome asked Brian.

"He'll be out. With all his connections and all, he probably would be out in a year or so."

"Not for real. You think he's getting out?"

Brian and Rome now walked over to Bilkins and Monica

"We took care of your decoys," Bilkins said. "They're free and clear. There's a sedan out on the road for you, try to bring it back in one piece."  
Brian and Rome both laughed at it.

"Thanks a lot, Bilkins. You're all right," Brian now shook hands with Bilkins. "Thanks for looking out."

"Do you trust me now?" Monica asked Rome.

"You're all right," Rome smiled and accepted the hand Monica offered him.

"Nice working with you, O'Conner." Monica now shook hands with Brian.

"Same here."

"Your Marine superiors would be so proud of you."

"Yeah. Once a Marine, always a Marine."

Bilkins and Monica now left, while Brian continued to stare at her.

"Yeah, I might have to stay here in Miami and keep you out of trouble, bruh," Rome remarked. "You know what I'm talking about."

They chuckled at it and then saw Paul approaching.

"That was so tight! Dealing with the problems the Marine Corps way!" Paul chuckled.

"Yeah," Brian said. "So, you're going back to Idaho?"

"Of course. You know we only get thirty days of leave per one year, and I'm going to spend it with my family. But I'll be here to visit you, should I get another leave or anything."

"Okay. Well, you got my number. Or maybe, I might even consider re-enlisting in the Marine Corps."

"Would love to see you do that."

"Yeah. I sort of feel a bit empty without my M16A2 rifle."

"I know that feel. Anyway, I'll be going now. Semper."

"Fidelis."

"So you're gonna kick it Miami?" Brian turned back to Rome after Paul had left.

"Oh man, I love Miami. Miami's off the hook!"

"Open a garage together?"

"A garage? How are we gonna do that?" Rome asked, with his "serious mode" having just kicked in.

Brian stopped and looked around. Seeing no one was around, he said: "Your pockets ain't empty, cuz."

Rome chuckled at it and pulled up his shirt, presenting the Franklins he had tucked in his waistband. "And we ain't hungry no more either, right?"

They both burst out laughing and left. Brian sighed with relief. Their records were clean now, he and Rome had made amends, Verone was locked up. They now got into the sedan and drove back to the Customs building, where the orange Challenger was already waiting for them.

They got into the Challenger and drove back to Tej's, and got yet more good news. Tej had thought of everything and now that they had no more obligations to the FBI, he offered them a chance to work at the garage to earn a living. Also, he and Jimmy had brought the Nissan and Viper back to the garage and now they were going to repair all the minor damages. Brian and Rome happily agreed.

"Oh, and also," Tej said. "Your Marine buddy has a surprise for you. Look behind the corner."

Brian went to take a look and saw the same blue Camaro standing there on a towtruck.

"Yeah, just repair it a bit here and there and it would be one helluva ride."

"Good car. Not as good as my Viper, but good one nonetheless," Rome laughed.

"We'll see," Brian chuckled. He now had a family again, a family other that the Marine Corps. He was going to kick it in Miami for a bit. Maybe he'd try to make amends with Team Toretto, but now right now, it would be for later future. Yeah, it wouldn't be easy, but as he learned in the Corps, worth taking a risk.


	5. Chapter 5

**Brian O'Conner, Semper Fidelis**  
**Chapter 5**

* * *

It had been seven months since the Verone case when Brian and Rome still found themselves living in the boathouse and working in Tej's Garage. And also, what Brian loved was that everyone had dropped the „Bullet" nickname, as he really wasn't quite fond of it.

As for relationships, things were still as usual. Brian wasn't still quite over Mia, so he didn't want Monica as a rebound. Luckily she understood that and respected Brian's decision. Rome, on the other hand, was still being a womanizer. He had girls in and out of his bed, and none of his relationships seemed to last longer than a fortnight, or mostly, just three-four days, before Rome had already moved on to another girl.

And now, Brian and Rome were also in business. While they couldn't open up their own garage with the stolen evidence money, they instead decided to invest in Tej's Garage. This earned both of them a stake in Tej's. And as business was doing good, they had also extended the garage. As for the Nissan and Viper, they were in best shape. Same for the Challenger, as the missing seat and door were now added, and the Camaro was now in good shape, as it was when Brian had won it.

* * *

The another day, Brian had got a call from Paul, saying that he'll be in Miami for a week, and Brian was cool with it. Tej, Rome and Jimmy, knowing how important seeing his Marine buddies was to Brian, had instead decided to give space, so Tej agreed to organize a race in Hialeah. Then they went to the races, while Brian stayed behind to meet his comrades. He again changed into his blue Evening Dress.

And then, just an hour later, four Marines arrived in a HMMWV. They now sat down and cracked a few beers open, while reminiscing about their Afghanistan times.

They were all having a good time, when suddenly the garage door opened and footsteps were heard.

„You sure are a hard man to find, O'Conner," a Latina woman said.

„Yeah, sort of," Brian said, not paying any attention to what she really wanted.

„Can we talk?"

„Is it very important?"

„Just come outside."

„Fine," Brian said. „Excuse me, guys," Brian now followed the woman out of the garage.

„Now who are you and what did you want?" Brian asked, before fully turning to the woman. „L-Letty?"

„That would be me."

„Look, I'm sorry about the LA thing. Back then, I was very young and naive, and thought that being a cop was what I always wanted. Anyway, I was offered a Detective badge if I completed the case and brought in the hijacking perpetrators. But I met you. I met Mia, Dom, Jesse, Leon and Vince. While you guys weren't a normal nuclear family, you were still perfect and I just couldn't turn you in. I just couldn't. I hadn't had a real family for years now, Mom had died when I was in juvie, and well, I just began to feel like I had a family and belonged again. So that was why I let Dom escape."

„It's a bit late now for the apologies. But well, I know about Dom. Well, after you did your thing, Dom, Leon and I fled to Mexico, but one day Dom just left and Leon and I were on our own. We lived there for a while, but then, Leon was killed in a firefight with a Colombian cartel, and I was on my own again, so I eventually made it to Dominican Republic, where I started hijacking fuel tankers with Dom. Anyway, what happened to you in the meantime?"

„I got kicked out of LAPD, and well, you know what happened three months later in New York."

„Yeah, I do. The terrorists flew into the Twin Towers."

„They did. And when I saw it live on TV, it was around 6 AM in Barstow, I immediately decided to join up for the military. And I chose Marine Corps, served ten years overseas. Anyway, I never got the chance to find out what happened to Vince and Jesse, as cops exiled me from LA."

„I think I'd better start with bad news. Jesse didn't make it. He was DoA when he arrived at the hospital. Probably lost too much blood, I think Mia would know better what happened. And as for Vince, he was lucky. He recovered in the hospital, without you he'd be dead, but still got cops on his ass. However, very unexpectedly the prison bus crashed and then he made a run for Mexico, he should probably be in South America now."

Just then, the Marines stepped out. „Hey Brian, what's the holdup?" Paul asked.

„These your Marine Corps buddies?" Letty asked.

„You got that right. Letty, these are Paul Carson, Sergeant Major with 28 years and counting of military experience, my former mentor and a good friend of mine. This is Colin McDonnell, my former squad leader, now a Gunnery Sergeant. This is Sergeant Joe Avery, formerly in my squad, now a squad leader himself in my platoon. And that's Colonel Tom Harper, our commanding officer and the Battalion Commander. Guys, this is Leticia Ortiz, or Letty. She's a... childhood friend of mine from Barstow."

„Well, nice to meet you guys."  
„Okay, Letty, would you mind joining us for the races?"

„Races? You still do that here?"

„Yeah. And on top of that, the garage belongs to a friend of mine. While me and another friend of mine, we both own a stake in the garage."

„What? You really own a stake in a garage? Well, good for you."

„Yeah. Anyway, so you're coming to the races?"

„I don't have a car of my own here, but you know me, I would love to."

„Well, actually I think I could provide you with one. Take the blue Yenko Camaro, it's mine."

„Yenko? How did you get one?"

„Long story."

Brian now got his Nissan started up, while Letty started up the Camaro. The Marines also decided to come to the race, but not with the HMMWV, as bringing the military jeep wouldn't be quite appropriate. So they got in a '56 Bel Air lowrider that was also in the garage and followed them to the race.

* * *

It took them all half an hour to get to Hialeah, where just another race had ended.

Currently, Tej was standing on a Ram's hood with a bullhorn. „Alright, anybody up for second wave?"

„Yeah, I am," Brian said.

„Oh, it's you," Tej chuckled. „Well, the buy-in is fifty-six."

„Fifty-six? So it would be a good chance to make 170 G's," Brian laughed. „Count me in," he said and pulled out a stack of dollars, before slapping it into Tej's hand.

„Alright, go start up your car."

„Wait," suddenly a guy said. He was standing beside a green Aston Martin DB9 with a white stripe. „I don't happen to have 56 in cash, but how about I offer up my Aston?" He asked with a thick British accent.

The crowd started to laugh at it. „Hey, Englishman. You're like stupid or what that you're really offering up your nice wheels?"

„Who the devil cares? I'm going to win anyway."

Tej also laughed at it. „Alright, give me the pink slip."

Brian got into his Nissan and pulled up behind the starting line, followed by the Aston and two other cars. One was a '69 Shelby GT500, then a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X.

Tej raised his arms. „Ready! Set! Go!"

All four cars took off. Brian and the Aston driver were now both battling for first place, while the other two were battling for third.

At first, the Aston was in lead and Brian was chasing him, but soon the tables were turned. Brian used up his NOS and this eventually put him in first place, where he also stayed when he crossed the finish line, followed by the Aston just a second later.

Everybody now gathered around Brian. „Yeah, that's my homey," Tej said and handed Brian the cash and the Aston's pink slip. Brian counted out some $16,000 and handed it to Tej.

„Take a real close look, everybody," Tej said and showed off the bills. „This is mutual respect."

The British guy now handed Brian the Aston's keys. „Good race, enjoy your new car."

„Thanks. Were you really serious when you decided to bet your Aston?"

„Yes, I did. I already have a new V12 Vantage, so I wouldn't have really minded losing the DB9."

„Good for you. Well, hope to see you again."

„You're all right," the British guy now left.

„Alright, alright!" Tej yelled up. „Anybody up for third wave?"

„I am," Letty stepped up.

„Oh really? Well, lady, I haven't seen you around at the races. You new?"

„Yeah. Just arrived in Florida a few days ago."

„Okay. Where's your car?"

„This one," Letty pointed to the Camaro.

„Yo, what the fuck?" Tej asked. „This is my homeboy Brian's car."

„It's all right, Tej. I know her," Brian stepped in. „I'll tell you everything later, let's just get to the race now."

„Okay, if you say so. Buy-in is sixty now. Everybody, pass up your cash!" Tej shouted through the bullhorn.

Four minutes later, Letty had won the race and 180 G's, and Tej was already preparing drivers for the fourth line, when suddenly, Jimmy came shouting: „Cops are coming!"

„Alright, you know what to do," Tej shouted through the bullhorn. „By the way, party's at Blue Moon Club at Fort Lauderdale." Tej now got into his Ram and drove off, while all the racers scrambled to get away from the scene.

Rome and Jimmy followed Tej to the club, while Brian drove to the garage. An hour later, with the cars now dropped off at the garage, Brian, Letty, Paul, Colin, Joe and Tom drove to the party in the HMMWV.

The party was really wild, and while it was going on, Brian introduced Letty to the Miami crew, and vice versa.

* * *

In the former Team Toretto, Letty was not the first one to get up. Usually it would be Mia, while Letty would rather be either (ante)penultimate or something to get up.

However, as for Brian, things were very different. He was already used to the 4 a.m. wake-up calls from MCRD San Diego days and getting his bunk made before fixing fifty pushups and heading for a jog, usually around the Broadwalk and back.

* * *

At 9.20 AM, Letty finally woke up and came to the garage, where currently Brian was working on a Supra. No one else was in the garage. She now walked over to Brian.

„Can we talk?"

„Alright, Let. What do you want?"

„I came here for Dom. We had been hijacking fuel tankers in DR together, but just a week ago he left me saying that the cops were heavily on our asses and that he didn't want me around should they catch him. So one day he just left me in DR and disappeared. So, I want him cleared of everything he's accused of."

„I understand. I know I owe you guys, but even I'm in shit. Since I let Dom go, even the Feds don't trust me. They're still trying to keep me confined in South Florida. Well, not really confined, but I'm sure that the moment I should cross the border to Georgia or Alabama, they'll be on my ass again. They don't care that I'm a highly-decorated Marine Corps Force Recon Staff Sergeant, they don't give a damn at all and don't trust me."

„Sucks to be you," Letty chuckled. „At least being a decorated Marine is surely better than a felon running from LAPD and CHP."

„You got that right. Yeah, I owe you one. But I could try to convince the dumb-ass brass guys to give me another chance in exchange of clean records for Dom and you. While it won't be easy, as in my opinion they're a lot more dumber than my Marine superiors."

„Whatever, I'm down with whatever they'd want."

„Good to know."

A few hours later Brian got into his R35 GT-R and drove to the Customs building, where currently Bilkins was waiting for him as Brian had already made an appointment with him.

„Alright, O'Conner, what can I do for you?" Bilkins asked.

„I want Toretto's record cleared."

„Look, you know I can't do that. Toretto's a criminal."

„Come on. I still think you would have the power to make it go away."

„You really are heroic, O'Conner, I admire that. But I just can't make his criminal record vanish."

„Look, if there is anything I could do to make it happen, I'm down. Please?"

„You really mean it, O'Conner?"

„Yes, I do."

„Okay, I'll see what I can do. I don't know what it really would be like, but well, I think you did good when you were undercover in LA. Even though you let Toretto go, you still managed to maintain your cover until the very end and even then you blew it by your choice. But in Miami, you did a lot more better. So I think quite possibly you'd go undercover again."

„Thanks, Bilkins. I'll keep in touch," Brian said and left.

* * *

Two days later, Brian's iPhone rang. It was Bilkins who was calling him.

„Alright, O'Conner, I have arranged it. Report to the LA office in a week, you'll recieve your briefing."

„What about the training?"

„Considering your Marine Corps experience, we decided that you could skip Quantico and immediately get to work. Unless you have a problem with it?"

„No, I don't. Thanks, Bilkins. You're the man."

„Don't mention it."

Brian now turned to Letty. „Well, looks like we got job to do, Bilkins kept his promise, he has arranged it Now we just need to go to LA to make it happen."

* * *

And just 24 hours later, Brian found himself in his Nissan somewhere in Texas, driving on Interstate 10 towards LA. Two days later, he eventually arrived in LA.

Brian now thought for a moment. He wasn't very sure he was going to settle down in LA after he was done with his next case. So he didn't go looking for any real estate and instead rented himself a shitty trailer. It wasn't really what he could call home, but then again he was a Marine. Yeah, not active duty, but the slogan was: „Once a Marine, always a Marine", and Marines had a reputation of doing more with less.

He did not know if he would need some outside Marine Corps help with the case, but he wasn't going to fully give up. If things would go very sour, he'd call Paul and ask for help. Considering that Paul, Colin and several other guys were still on leave and in Miami, it wouldn't be hard to get them to help him out.

* * *

With the case, things were not quite good for him. The LA Feds, run by another paper-pushing asshole, Deputy Assistant Director Penning, did not trust him at all. Probably because Brian lacked the college degree neccessary for all FBI agents, and only got on board due to his USMC experience and because Bilkins had vouched for him. Another reason was the fuckup with Toretto case ten years ago. The Feds were all sure that sooner or later Brian would flip again.

Also, on his fifth day in the LA office, he had already gotten into a fistfight with Agent Stasiak. This guy was a complete dick, and Brian would be surprised if he also was dirty. And Brian couldn't put his MCMAP skills also into use, unless he wanted to get thrown out of FBI too and sent back to Florida, thus making no progress in getting Dom a pardon.

Yet he had also made friends with another agent, Sophie Trinh. She was also sort of a newbie, just like him. In the FBI world, at least. But she was nice and not like all the other dicks who would rather chase him out of the state.

But despite everything, he had still got a briefing on the case. The suspect was a Mexican drug lord named Arturo Braga, who had successfully smuggled huge shipments of heroin between Mexico and U.S. And what made him even more mysterious was that no one had any information on him. Not Interpol, CIA, whoever. Maybe because he preferred to have local underground racing guys instead do the driving while he waited in the compound.

Anyway, the LA office had already sent two drivers undercover, but all of them later came back from desert in body bags. This case surely would not be boring.

He had also made a trip to Barstow. The half a century old house was still the same empty as it was nine years ago. The last time Brian had been there was in early 2002, after he had graduated from San Diego and was given ten days of leave before shipping to USMC School of Infantry at Camp Pendleton.

He also made a trip to the garage and checked the Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4. Luckily it was still in quite the same shape as it was in 2001, when he had left for USMC. And as Brian wasn't so sure he wanted to have his $100,000 Nissan totaled, he eventually decided to bring it to LA, in case he would have to drive.

But to make matters worse, he also got an unexpected and unfriendly visit from Tanner. Yeah, after the fuckup ten years ago, Tanner had got away without even a simple slap on the wrist, even though not very easily. He had instead progressed on the career ladder and was now a Captain Third Grade, enjoying a salary of about $170,000 and driving around in a huge black SUV, as opposed to the standard CVPIs. And soon he was also completing his Captain probation and was preparing to take the Commander examination and interview.

Anyway, as Brian was eating dinner one day in his shitty trailer, he suddenly got a knock on the door and saw Tanner standing there, with another cop waiting in the car.

„So you're back in town now, O'Conner? Well, I got the info that you're working for the Feds now, but remember, this is still my town. You had chosen to betray the oath, so I see you as a dirty cop, no matter if you are a Marine or not. So you better watch your step, cause if I catch you doing something unlawful again, I'll personally make sure that you would spend the rest of your life in Folsom. And this time, Johnny (Cash) would not be giving any concerts there, he died eight years ago." This was all, then Tanner left, leaving Brian standing there.

But just then, he heard another knock on the door. This time it was Letty.

„So you made it, O'Conner?"

„Yeah. Yeah, I did. The other Feds are total assholes to me, but I think I'd manage."

„Good. Anyway, I managed to get a car, a '70 Road Runner."

„Alrighty. Guess I'll list you as the next driver then. And if they break their promise and don't get Dom a clean record, I might even talk to Paul and then we could witness FBI getting the crap kicked out of them by USMC," Brian chuckled. „Alright, time to get in the ass-kicking mode," he changed into his MARPAT Woodland camo uniform.

Letty smiled at the mention of the Sergeant Major. Yeah, she had only met him this one time in Miami, but was really impressed of him and the rest of Brian's Marine buddies. They weren't really like Team Toretto, but could function as a surrogate family unit.

„Oh, and did you do as I requested?"

„Yeah, I did not go near the Kensington Ave house, and I haven't seen Mia."

„Good. Cuz I'm not staying with her, she doesn't even know I'm back in LA. Instead I'm staying in a cheap hotel in Anaheim. I don't want her to become suspecting and possibly find out about me working for the Feds now."

„Oh. Well, have it your way."

„So we're gonna do this and once Dom's back, I'll find Mia and convince her to give you another chance, even though it wouldn't be that easy. But, Semper Fidelis?" Letty asked Brian.

„Semper Fidelis." Brian laughed at Letty using his Marine Corps slogan.

* * *

Things were good for the next five days, when suddenly Brian got a call from FBI, saying that Letty was found dead in the desert. Things had really fucked up now. There was only one person who could help him now. Brian called again the Sergeant Major's number.

„Hey, Paul, I need some help in LA."

„Oh. Well, you got to be more specific."

„I'm in deep shit with the LA Feds, the case is totally unable to crack, and Letty was killed while completing a run for the target."

„Well, when is the funeral held?"

„Monday. And since the Feds think her death might flush Dom out from hiding, they're trying to keep me in confinement again. I'm not allowed to attend the funeral with all the others, I may only pay my respects once they're all gone. This was not supposed to happen. She only wanted to bring Dom home and to make her family whole again."

Brian could hear Paul yelling profanities for a while. „Listen, Brian, don't worry. I'll be on my next flight to LA. And then, we're gonna find her killer and teach the son of a bitch some USMC Justice."

„Yeah. What would I do without you?"

„I don't think I even want to know."

„Why, thanks Paul. Semper."

„Fidelis." The call ended.


	6. Chapter 6

**Brian O'Conner, Semper Fidelis**

**Chapter 6**

* * *

The next day at 4 AM, Brian woke up, feeling quite crappy.

He had let Letty down. She had only come to him to get Dom's name cleared, but he hadn't informed her about the drivers ending up being collected in body bags a week later. And now she was dead, leaving him on his own to deal with Braga. Brian was still sure Paul would help him, as he had his complete trust in the Sergeant Major, but when he would arrive was another question.

It was time for him to take the justice in his own hands for a while. Not the FBI way, but the Marine Corps way. After a quick jog, Brian arrived back at the trailer and made himself a Marine breakfast.

While eating, Brian took out a stash of papers which contained the names of Braga's acquaintances in LA. After skimming through the files and sorting out the most relevant ones, he eventually decided to start with the guy closer to him. A bald Mexican guy, Rodrigo Torrazo. He worked in a garage at the Terminal Street/7th Street corner. Brian then put on his Woodland Camo MCCUU and took his trusty old M9A1 with 4 magazines, then started up his Nissan.

Just some considerable time later, he eventually arrived at the warehouse, but just then the goon ran away after seeing him. But with his Marine skills, Brian started chasing after him.

After a lengthy chase over the rooftops and through Koreatown and ended at 8th Street, Brian eventually managed to get to the goon.

„I don't know shit!"

Brian knew exactly what to do – he grabbed the guy into his MCMAP lock, where he could very easily kill the guy with just one hit. „Give me a name!"

„I don't know shit, man!"

Brian swung his arm up, ready to deliver the lethal blow, when the guy suddenly decided to give in.

„David Park! David Park's the guy you want! Please!"

Brian released the guy and got back to his car, driving back to his trailer. It wouldn't have been very appropriate if he reported to the office in his MCCUU, so he decided to go change. Unlike the real agents, he did not have a fetish at all for the black suits, thinking of them as dreary, boring and monochrome. He instead decided that his Marine dress uniforms were elaborate enough, either the green/khaki Service Dress, or Blue Dress or blue Evening Dress, depending on which one he wanted to wear. This time he chose the Service Dress, before speeding towards the FBI building.

It seemed like Trinh was happy to see him back. „Thank god." She said. „Listen, he's in a mood because yesterday was his cheat day and then today some genius brought in donuts."

„Great." Brian groaned. Yeah, the Feds were not anything like his Marine superiors – he hated them and they hated him, if you called Sophie an innocent bystander. „Sorry I'm late." he said as he walked into the office. Yeah, he was like a total stranger there. Everybody were in suits compared to Brian in his Marine dress uniform.

„Complaints keep rolling in after your little downtown Olympics, O'Conner." Penning said. „Tell me having you here as an informant wasn't a mistake."

_Oh, it would be a mistake, _Brian thought. „I got a name." _Not to mention I nearly killed the guy to get the name._ „David Park."

„That's it? That's all you got? David Park? I could throw a fortune cookie out of this window and hit 50 David Parks right now." Stasiak said.

Yeah, Stasiak was the guy who was pissing Brian off the most. Brian was about to interfere, but then, another agent cut in. „It's Korean, not Chinese."

„Whatever." Stasiak scoffed.

Brian smiled at that. „Park is a scout that recruits street racers to be mules for the Braga Cartel. We find Park and we bust the bad guys."

Penning then agreed and dismissed everyone, after giving him a rant for the „downtown Olympics". Yeah, Brian surely saw him as hostile, but at least this time he was lucky enough to get away with a simple slap on the wrist.

* * *

The next morning at 4 AM, Brian woke up in a shitty mood again. Because today it would be Letty's funeral. He made a five-mile jog and fixed himself a Marine breakfast, then he dressed up in his Marine Evening Dress and drove his Nissan to the funeral.

He could see Mia sobbing in the front row. And sucked to know that it was all his fault. Heck, he had brought Letty in as another informant. Damn Feds still did not trust him and at first didn't allow him to go undercover, thinking that he'll flip again. But just then, Stasiak snapped him out of his thoughts. „Facial recognition software matched Toretto about ten minutes after he crossed the border. I don't get it, I thought he'd show."

Brian looked at Stasiak with a tired voice, he really wasn't in mood with the asshole's interruptions.

As the night fell, he found himself in the shitty office again. God, how he hated this place, with all the real Feds being nothing but hostile towards him.

„I just got off the phone with Deputy Director Lawson. If we don't make serious inroads into the Braga case in the next 72 hours, they're gonna shut us down." Penning faced the group, clearly not being quite happy.

„I know I'm the newbie here, but why the clock now?" Sophie asked.

„Because it's been two years, and the last three agents we sent to infiltrate his organization came back in body bags."

This was when Brian stopped paying attention. The rant from this guy was purely annoying and he did not want to listen to this shit.

„-name through city and country databases, sorting the possibilites. We've got over five hundred already." As Brian heard Sophie talk, he snapped back to Earth. But he was still a bit clueless at the moment. _What name? What fucking databases?_

„Park's insignificant, sounds like another jerkoff to me." Stasiak muttered. _Oh, it's David Park, _Brian registered quickly.

„It's not. Without Park, Braga wouldn't have drivers to move his shipments." Brian spoke up before turning to Sophie. „Cross-check traffic. Illegal modifications, street racing. This guy will definitely have a record. We'll find him."

„We better." Penning stated tiredly.

After everyone was dismissed, Brian and Sophie grabbed huge stacks of dossiers with all the possible David Parks and prepared to leave.

„Well, what do you know?" Stasiak suddenly asked. „Your boy Toretto's red Chevelle was spotted in his old neighborhood. I'm gonna bring his ass in."

Yeah, Stasiak had been an extreme asshole all the time, but this time he was just so fucking hilarious. „Not in your car, you're not." Brian laughed.

Brian then got into his Nissan with his dossiers and drove to his shitty trailer. After fixing himself some coffee and grabbing some protein bars, he started looking at the dossiers and sorting out the most relevant ones.

He had a smaller, but still a quite big stack of them lying next to the unchecked ones, when he suddenly collapsed on the table.

And he had a very bad dream this night, again one from his USMC days.

* * *

_Kandahar, Afghanistan_

_October 5, 2008, 2200 hours_

Sergeant Brian O'Conner, leader of the 3rd Squad was currently cleaning his M16A2, when suddenly someone came rushing in. He turned around to face Lance Corporal Richard Holden, a fireteam leader in 1st Squad.

"What's up, Rick?"

"Brian, Joe sent me here. He said that there was some shit going on and we could do with your squad coming."

"Alright, give me three minutes." Rick left, then Brian turned to his Corporals. "Jeremy, Mike, Bobby! Get your teams ready, we've been called to a mission!"

The three team leaders then scrambled to get their teams ready and three minutes later, nine Marines with M16s and three with M249s followed Brian outside.

"Okay, Rick, lead the way." Brian said.

After five minutes of walking, they arrived to where the other two squads were scattered. He walked over to his long-time friend, newly-promoted Sergeant Joe Avery. This man had joined the Marine Corps in 2004 after just graduating from high school, back when Brian had been just a Corporal. Then he was placed in Brian's team as the rifleman. Two years later, Brian was promoted to Sergeant and was made leader of the 3rd Squad, after Colin, who had been promoted to Staff Sergeant last year, became the Platoon Sergeant. The same year, Joe was promoted to Corporal and Brian made him a fireteam leader in his squad. This year, though, even before he fully became a Sergeant, Joe was made the leader of the 1st Squad.

"What's going on, Joe?"

"Brian, there has been a sneak attack on 2nd Squad. The convoy was hit by IEDs and RPGs, and then the Opfors showed up out of nowhere. Squad suffered from heavy casualties, survivors were taken hostage. Also Josh and Michael. That's why Colin, Henry and Morales sent us on a rescue mission."

Second Lieutenant Michael Granger was the leader of their 3rd Platoon. Even though Joe (leader of 1st Squad), Sergeant Josh Darnell (2nd squad leader), Brian (3rd squad leader) and Colin (platoon sergeant) thought that Michael was still too junior for that, having just graduated from Annapolis a year ago, they did still show their respect to the higher-ranking officer and did not discuss any of it publicly. Captain Roberto Morales, however, had been an outstanding Sergeant with eight years of experience, before being recommended for OCS and later commissioned as a Second Lieutenant six years ago. And now he was a Captain and their company leader with Gunnery Sergeant Henry Jameson, who was currently the company sergeant and also filling in for the Executive Officer role after the former XO, First Lieutenant Johnson had been killed by an IED just days ago.

"Alright, let's go."

* * *

After they finally broke through to the Taliban's torture house, the sight there had shocked Brian for life. Michael had been strung up like a marionette, thick chains holding his limbs in positions assured to keep them dislocated as he struggled to get away from the pain that had been inflicted on him. And a further check revealed that he had been executed with a gunshot to the head. This image had scarred Brian for life.

* * *

_Brian's trailer, near LA_

_2011, 5.25 AM_

Brian snapped out of his dreams by his iPhone ringing. It was Sophie.

„What's up, Sophie?"

„Brian, I think there's something you need to come and overlook."

„What? Did you find the one true David Park?"

„No, but I just saw Stasiak entering the building, and he's got your girl Mia Toretto with him."

„What? You sure it's her?"

„Of course."

„Okay, I'll be there ASAP. Call me if they'll leave in the meantime."

„Got you, Brian. Be seeing ya." Sophie ended the call.

Brian's hand formed a fist and punched the wall. _Goddamn two-timing arrogant dumbfuck Stasiak!_ He had the deepest desire to march into the office with his M16A2 (even though it was still in Camp Lejeune's armory) and kill Stasiak right there, rather with his MCMAP skills than the rifle, but he couldn't do it. He wasn't an official agent on the FBI's tab, more like an informant. This meant that he was already walking on thin ice. And if he couldn't keep his feelings and hormones in check, he'd be forced out of the Bureau quite soon enough and he'd let Letty down with no chance for Dom to get a pardon.

He quickly threw on the uniform closest to his reach, the Blue Dress, before grabbing the dossiers, rushing outside and starting up his Nissan. He drove to the office as fast as he could with little to no regard for his traffic violations, then rushed to outside the interrogation room. Sure enough, Stasiak was still in there with Mia. Brian thought quickly of a plan. He went to the nearest desk, then picked up the phone and called the interrogation room. „Hi, this is Forsythe in Evidence, I need Stasiak down here right away to sign some greenies. Thanks." Just then, Sophie walked over to him, and he handed her the dossiers. „Okay, I narrowed it down to 50 or so David Parks. What I'd like you to do is run the make and model on each one of them. All right?"

„Okay, all right."

„Thank you." Brian now waited for Stasiak to exit the room, before walking in. „Hey, Tyler, we got a transfer." Yeah, as a non-agent he didn't really have the authorization to enter the interrogation room without an supervisory agent, but he didn't care and pretended like he was one. Luckily, he was allowed to pass and he walked over to Mia. „You want to come with me?" he asked. _You don't have to forgive me,_ he thought, _just play along._

Luckily it seemed to work as Mia rose from the seat, then followed Brian out of the FBI building and into the GT-R. Brian drove to a café quite far away, to make sure they'd be far-far away from Stasiak.

„Why don't you tell me why you dragged me here, Brian?" she asked.

„You know they're going after Dom, maybe worse. I don't want you getting tangled up in this, so stay away from him."

„That's what you have to say to me after ten years? Ten years is quite a long time, and I'm surprised all of a sudden you suddenly care what happens to me?"

„What I did to you was wrong. I'm sorry, it was the hardest thing I've ever had to do."

„I'm sorry too, Brian. I'm so sorry that you had to come into my home and pretend to love me. I'm so sorry that you ripped my family apart. I'm so sorry that that was very hard to you."

„I lied to you, I lied to Dom, I lied to everybody. That's what I do best, that's why the Feds recruited me."

„Maybe you're lying to yourself. Maybe you're not the good guy pretending to be the bad guy. Maybe you're the bad guy pretending to be the good guy. You ever think of that?"

„Every day."

Mia then rose from the seat. As she was about to leave, she suddenly turned around. „I've always wondered, why did you let my brother go that day?"

„I don't know. And I did not give a single damn in Marine Corps either, otherwise I wouldn't have made it even to Corporal."

As she exited, she happened to bump into an USMC Sergeant Major with 28 consecutive years of military experience, who now walked in the café and then to Brian's table.

„Having tough luck with love, O'Conner?" Paul asked.

Just then, another guy stood up from a table and walked over to them. „Am I too late, guys?"

„Sergeant Avery?" Brian asked.

„The one and only."

„No, you're not late. Good to see you here, Joe."

„I'm glad. I followed Paul here from Miami."

„Oh, Well, we are the Non-Coms, so I think we could do this mission on our own, right?"

„I think we can."

As Brian, Paul and Joe exited the café, Joe bumped into another guy.

„Whoa, watch where you're going... Colin?"

„Yeah, it's me." the Gunny said.

„You gonna join us for the revenge mission against Braga?" Brian asked.

„Sure thing, Brian."

„Glad to have you all three covering my ass." Brian remarked. „But you got a car? My Nissan is extremely fast, but not quite spacious to fit all four of us."

„Ah, don't worry. We dropped by Barstow Logistics Base earlier this morning, and they lent us a Humvee."

„Oh, good. Wait a minute, I got something." Brian now pulled out his iPhone and saw Sophie calling him.

„Brian, I got the cross-checks on David Park back and have a list of possibilities."

„Alright, what do you got? Talk to me."

„A forty-five year old male in an '06 Scion with three reckless driving tickets."

He didn't need to really see the pictures of the different David Parks, but with his Marine training he could already tell that this guy was too old for that. „No."

„An '01 Chevy Tahoe-"

Brian cut her off. „No." He could really use a laugh to see someone racing a heavy ass Tahoe.

Luckily Trinh did not get discouraged and kept trying. „Two Mini Coopers, an '06 and an '07." Mini Coopers? Definitely wouldn't describe an street racing recruiter. He stayed silent.

After a very pregnant pause, Trinh recited him the next Park. „A Toyota hybrid."

„Hell no." Seriously, racing a Prius is as dumb as it can get.

„A '98 Saturn." Wow, a Saturn from the 90's? He hadn't driven one himself, but knew for sure that it's ugly as hell and not quite fun to drive, especially with its just 116-ci mini-engine.

Another pregnant pause later she tried again. „A '95 Sebring." Uh, Sebring? An Eclipse of the same model year is much better. He still remembered the green car Tanner and Bilkins had given him for the first undercover assignment.

But Sophie didn't still give up. „A '98 Nissan 240 with an illegal mod."

Then his head kicked in. „Wait, that's it."

„What?"

„The 240 with the illegal mod."

„How do you know?"

„Cause that's something I'd drive."

„Okay. The address is 2619 West 8th Street, just one block south and four to the west from UCLA, if it is of any help."

„Right. Thank you, Sophie." He ended the call, then turned to the Marines. „Well, I got a lead. The guy we're looking for is at 2619 West 8th."

„Okay, Staffy, lead the way." Joe said as he got behind the wheel of the Humvee while Paul and Colin also got in the huge jeep. Brian was about to get into the Nissan, but then his iPhone rang again. He fished it out of the pocket and looked at the screen. It was Stasiak calling him. And Brian knew exactly that Stasiak wanted to chew him out for releasing Mia from his custody. Brian ignored the call, then started up his car and drove to Park's apartment building, followed by the Humvee.

* * *

The four Marines arrived at the scene and immediately got to their positions. Paul climbed on a TV repair store's roof across the street and got his M40A5 ready, preparing to cover the alleyway in case Park would attempt to escape. Colin got his M249 ready and prepared to cover the street, while Joe, armed with a M16A4 and also a M32 MGL grenade launcher, followed Brian inside the building to cover him when necessary. The three Marines had also brought another M16A4 with a holographic sight for Brian.

But just then, they heard a glass shattering on the fourth floor and then David Park getting hanged out of the window. „Don't fire, not before I do!" Brian yelled loud enough for Paul and Colin to hear. Yeah, they both did outrank him, but luckily they listened to him.

Joe and Brian pulled the charging handles on their M16s and rushed into the building and to fourth floor. They took cover on both sides of the open door. Brian carefully peeked inside and saw Dom there, dangling Park out of the window. „Come on, man, I don't know shit! Just let me up!" Park was shouting. „I told you, you got to talk to Braga!"

„Shit." Brian mumbled.

„What's up, Brian?"

„It's Toretto."

„The infamous Dominic Toretto?"

„Yeah, that's him. No matter what happened, I still owe him one, so don't do anything, okay? If he tries to run, ignore him." Brian asked Joe, who nodded. Brian then walked into the apartment with his rifle ready, followed by Joe. „Bring him up, Dom."

Dom turned around and found himself staring at the former cop, Brian O'Conner, but he did not expect to so suddenly see him in a Marine Corps uniform. „You here to take me in, O'Conner?" he asked.

„Letty was my friend, too."

„You weren't anyone's friend."

Then they both heard Park shouting from where he was hanging: „Yo, can you guys talk about this later? Now pull my ass up!"

But neither of them were distracted from him. „She was running for this guy, Braga, and things went bad. I'm going to get these guys, Dom. Now let me do my job and bring him up." Brian tried to convince Dom.

But Dom would still do things his own way. „I'm gonna kill this Braga. And everyone else who gets in my way." Dom said and let Park go, before leaving. Brian looked out and saw that Park had barely managed to grab on a ledge. He then turned around and saw Dom gone, and sighed with relief. Even though they needed Park alive, he still hated if he had to bring Dom in for endangering a witness and obstruction of justice.

Brian looked down and saw that Colin had rushed down to the window, at which Brian got a plan. „Just let it go." He told Park. „My friend will catch you down there."

And he was right. Park loosened his grip and fell down, only to be caught and brought down by Colin down there. Paul had also got away from his position on the roof across the street and had joined the Marines at the cars.

„We'll take him in the Humvee." Paul said, then blindfolded Park and forced him to get into the Humvee's backseat with him as Joe took the wheel and Colin sat next to him. Brian then felt a buzzing again. Damn, Stasiak just wouldn't give up. He ignored the call again, then got his Nissan started and the Marines now drove to Brian's trailer.

* * *

Once they were in the trailer, Brian brought out a chair and Joe slumped Park on the seat, before the four Marines started interrogating him.

„So, what do you know about Braga?" Paul asked.

„Whoa, what is this? That's highly unprofessional of you, I'll claim harassment for this, see how it goes down with your superiors."

„Well, that's the rub. We're no cops or Feds, we're the USMC."

„Oh, really? I did not know that Braga was the Corps' problem now."

„If he killed a friend of ours, then he is."

„But you ain't gonna make me talk, that's for sure. I'm gonna sue you."

„Oh yeah?" Paul asked. He then grabbed Park into a MCMAP choke. „I learned this one from the Corps, and believe me, this is just the beginning, things could get even worse. We've been through worse shit in Afghanistan, and believe me, you don't want to experience it."

„Hey, what is this?" Park asked. „Let me go, you assholes!"

„What do you know about Braga?" Paul asked firmly.

„I ain't speaking, you stupid jarheads!"

„It's your funeral." Paul said with no remorse as he started tightening his grip.

„Man, I can't breathe!"

"Don't you know you owe us your life? Wanna go see the sights again while hanging out of a window? Cause if MCMAP doesn't help, we might even repeat that one."

It was enough for Park to snap. „Okay, I give up! I'll talk."

Paul then released Park roughly. „Then cut to it."

„I don't know much about Braga. But all I know is that his second-in-command, Ramon Campos, is currently in charge of finding new drivers for Braga. And so he's holding a street race tonight. All I can do is get you entry into the race."

„Then do it." Paul said.

„The name's Brian James Spencer for what you'll tell him." Brian cut in, using his new undercover credentials.

„But I'm blindfolded and I need to call Campos for this!"

„Where is your cellphone?" Joe asked.

„In my vest pocket."

Paul took out Park's cellphone. „The number?"

„Look for Campos3 in the contacts."

Paul skimmed the contacts until he finally found the „Campos3" and dialed.

„Alright, talk then." he held the cellphone to Park's ear. „But don't give him a sitrep or you know what happens." And to make sure Park wouldn't even try anything, he pulled out his M9A1 and pressed it against Park's head.

„Yeah, Campos, it's me, Park. I've got two guys here who want in for the race. The first guy's name is Brian James Spencer, the other one is Dominic Bellini." he said, mentioning Dom's fake name on the passport. „Thank you. Okay, I'll inform them. Bye." Park now put the phone back in his pocket.

„Okay, the race is at 3680 Wilshire. Be there at 10 PM tonight."

„Good. You just did your part."

„So let me go."

„Oh no, you'll come with us for the time being. We can't have you call Campos and warn him, right?"

As Park was put in the Humvee again, Paul turned to Brian. „Christ, this place is worse than our barracks near Kandahar."

„Yeah, I know it's not much, but at least I made it work."

The Marines now drove to a deserted trailer in Chino that Paul happened to know about and locked Park in there for time being. The trailer was a total dump, having just the bare necessities and plenty of food in the fridge for four days, recently provided by the Marines. So, as Roger Miller once sang, no phone, no pool, no pets. Similar to Brian's shitty trailer.

* * *

Sometime later, after Park was dropped off, the four Marines drove to the FBI office. After Paul, Colin and Joe got their visitor passes, they proceeded to the elevator.

„God, I hate this place. Not to mention that the local Feds have me on a tight leash." Brian mumbled.

However, as the four Marines got off the elevator, Brian suddenly heard Stasiak shouting his name. As Brian wasn't in a mood to deal with the asshole, he completely ignored Stasiak. However, the next second Stasiak suddenly tried to grab him. „O'Conner! If you ever release a witness of mine again..."

This was it. There was no way out other than MCMAP, so Brian quickly slammed Stasiak against the wall and took him down with a single punch. However, he still made sure not to deliver a lethal blow.

„Alright, that's enough!" Penning rushed to the scene.

„Don't touch me." Stasiak said. „You're through, O'Conner, and so are your Marine boyfriends."

„I said that's enough." Penning cut in. „Stasiak, go get yourself cleaned up."

„What? He hit me first!"

„This isn't the Cub Scouts! Now go on, you're bleeding on my floor."

After Stasiak left, Penning turned to the Marines. „So, you finally found time to drop by, O'Conner. Where were you all the time?"

„We finally found Park, but as soon as we got the info out of him, he escaped."

After hearing that, Penning wanted to scold the four Marine NCOs for having interrogated Park on their own and not bringing him to FBI custody, but he didn't really like Brian, not to mention the other three Marines. He just decided to skip the details and get the confirmation that they were making a progress on the Braga case, as the sooner he would have them out of the field office.

„How could you let him escape? I thought you guys were Marines?"

„Yeah, but turned out that at a traffic light stop he suddenly made an unexpected run for it, but just then we got the green light and so we had to continue moving. While McDonnell chased after him, Park had still managed to get away."

„Okay, but what did you find out from him?"

„He got me an entry into a street race in Koreatown. The winner gets to drive for Braga."

„Then do it. You got your own car for it, right?"

„Yes, I do."

„Good. Then hop to it. I can't have you killing some other agents around here. You know what differs a cop from a criminal?"

"You know what?" Paul cut in. "This sucks. O'Conner might have let Toretto escape ten years ago, but it doesn't mean that you have the right to treat him like a loose cannonball jackass, while he might not be an actual agent. So you moderate your views and the asshole who attacked him you keep on tight leash. Because I have friends in high ranks in USMC, and they'll take it up with your superiors in J. Edgar Hoover Building in DC, and then they can shut you guys down. Remember, the Academy in Quantico is still on the territory of our base, so the USMC has authority on that one. Did you understand?"

Now this made Penning really hate the Marines and want them gone. "I understand. But remember, that in this office, I'm the head in charge, so now get out of here." He said with annoyance and anger before leaving.

The four Marines then left the field office and drove back to the shitty trailer.

"Hey Paul, I think I have a problem." Brian said.

"Why? How can I help you?"

"Well, since I'm going to have to do driving for Braga, I'm not really sure if I want the Nissan trashed if I already have the older Mitsubishi. So I'm taking the Mitsu, but can you get the Nissan shipped to Tej's?"

"I think I can do that. I have a friend, formerly used to be a truck driver in the Corps, before you joined up, now works as a trucker, car hauler to be exact. I'll talk to him."

"Good. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to prep the Mitsubishi for the upcoming race."

Brian got into his Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4 he had brought from Barstow, and drove to a rental garage, preparing it for the big race. At first, it was a stock VR-4, clocking out 320 horsepower, but then Brian started applying the upgrades. First NOS, then the other performance upgrades, then he also installed a wide body kit and added Lexani rims, and a new spoiler. And the next dyno run later it clocked out around 500 hp.

He made a visit to FBI building again, this time avoiding contact with assholes like Penning and Stasiak, at which he succeeded. He eventually recieved his (or rather Spencer's) driver's license from Sophie.

* * *

As the night fell, Brian eventually arrived to the race scene. He got a GPS fitted in his car, and got the route downloaded there. But much to his shock, he also saw that Dom was also in the race. Could he beat him?

The answer came after seven minutes or so. He couldn't. And that just because Dom was not playing by the rules and had PIT'd him. However, Brian wasn't going to give up so easily. And a perfect chance came from the annoying asshole Dwight who had harassed him before the race.

„Yo, nutsack!" Dwight called out. „Let me tell you something, man. Muscle beats import every time. You know what I'm saying? Every time!"

This gave Brian a thought. This bitch cowboy was going to get the surprise of his life.

* * *

**A/N: Alright, after three months the beast is finally here. Sorry it took me so long, but I was running out of ideas. As for Chapter 7, I'm already working on it. Make my day and review. Concrit - OK, flaming/bashing - Do it and I'm gonna call USMC Force Recon to kick your ass****. XD**


	7. Chapter 7

**Brian O'Conner, Semper Fidelis**

**Chapter 7**

* * *

Brian went to talk to Paul and they eventually thought of a very good plan.

Just four hours later, an USMC UH-1N Twin Huey took off from MCAS Camp Pendleton, carrying six Marines: two Warrant Officers piloting it, and four NCOs: Brian, Paul, Colin and Joe.

And a couple of minutes later they were already hovering over Dwight's house on LaBrea Ave in Hollywood. Paul showed thumbs-up, then Brian, Colin and Joe descended from the chopper and on the top of Dwight's apartment block.

They hooked up their ropes, then rappeled down to Dwight's apartment and crashed in through the window just as the party was going on with their M16A4s ready, with Joe also having a M32 MGL slung behind his back.

„USMC!" Brian yelled. There were also many women in the apartment who started to scream.

„Hey, what are you doing? I didn't do nothing, man! Dwight didn't do nothing, man!" Dwight yelled out. Then he saw his girls leaving. „Hey, no! Stay, stay, where you going?"

„Bye, Dwight!" The girls now left.

„No, what did I do?" Dwight turned to the two Marines.

„You're coming with us, for distribution of meth." Brian said quite simply. „A Corporal of ours was recently found dead after meth overdose, and we're looking for the meth dealers to deal with them the Marine Corps way."

„Meth? Dwight's never touched that shit, bro!"

„Dwight has now." Brian smirked. He took out a package of nitromethane and had Dwight touch it.

„Yo, that ain't mine! No!"

„Okay, Dwight, we're going on a little tour."

The three Marine NCOs dragged Dwight to the roof, where the chopper had just landed.

„Yo, don't do it! Dwight is afraid of flying!" Dwight yelled, but it didn't help as he was still dragged into the chopper and then blindfolded. „Please! I think we could work out a deal. Semper Fudge, okay?"

„You said it wrong, it's Semper Fidelis." Joe corrected Dwight, showing zero compassion for him.

„But Dwight is afraid of flying!"

As soon as the chopper took off, he continued: „Dwight wants out of here! Let me out!" Dwight now attempted to jump out, but was then pulled back by Joe, then Paul injected him with a needle, making him fell asleep.

They flew for a bit, back to Brian's trailer. Brian and Joe now led Dwight inside, while Colin boarded up the windows. Paul then brought out a 10% ammonia inhalant capsule and made Dwight inhale it, helping him regain consciousness.

„What did Dwight do now?"

„Now Dwight is going to do us a favor."

„What favor?"

„You're gonna call Campos and tell him that you can't do any driving for a while."

„Yo, you know Dwight can't do it."

„Do it, _nutsack_!" Brian barked the order and pressed his M16A4 barrel against Dwight's forehead. „You alert him and they're going to find a nutsack lying there with a five point fifty-six millimeter FMJ round in his head. And you say the replacement driver's name as Cedric Bell, and from Flagstaff, Arizona." At FBI office, Sophie had shown Brian a list of credentials for agents going undercover, and Brian had just picked one of them.

Paul took out Dwight's cellphone. "Which number?"

"Campos1."

Paul dialed and gave it to Dwight. „Yo, Campos? It's Dwight. Well, Dwight has a problem. Yes. Dwight had just a piano fall on his leg and can't do any driving for a while now. Some lousy piano movers, they lost control of it and it crushed my leg. A bunch of assholes. But well, Dwight can have a good friend of his temporarily take over his duties. Name's Cedric Bell, he's one of the best illegal street racers in Flagstaff, Arizona. He has quite a record on the FBI database. Okay, I'll send him to you. Bye."

„So, what did he say?" Brian asked harshly.

„He said he'll see you tonight. The address is 544 Mateo."

„Good. Then your part is done." Brian said and knocked Dwight out with a MCMAP hit, then took out a piece of paper and a pen, and started writing a letter.

„Sorry about the shitty accomodation, but Bel Air was already overbooked. It's the best we could get." Brian laughed as he wrote the letter. „But don't be prejudiced by the appearance. You're gonna stay here for the next week or so. But don't worry, there's plenty of food in the fridge and if you're bored, there's a clock radio and a TV. Not flatscreen, but I think you'd manage. We'll let you out in a week or so, then you can easily go home. But in the meantime, you're gonna have to stay here because we have to lock you in. And don't even think of escaping, there is no way out. Just enjoy yourself here, that you're on a vacation and don't have to do any driving for Braga, _nutsack_." Brian left the letter on the table, then left the trailer, slammed the door and padlocked it, before joining his buddies in the chopper.

„Bye, nutsack!" Joe laughed as he and Brian boarded the chopper.

„Okay, you performed the same procedure that we did when we locked Park in? Took away all keys?" Paul asked.

„Yeah."

„And sealed every single exit?"

„Of course."

„No cellphones or any way for him to call for help?"

„Yeah. Took away his while he was unconscious in the chopper."

„Good. Then we're good to go."

And seeing that they had already used the trailer to interrogate Park and now they were using it to keep Dwight as a prisoner, Brian had also moved out his stuff. He hadn't taken time to gather his personal belongings from Lejeune during the time he was in Miami, but luckily, as Barstow was Brian's home, Paul had already arranged for them to be sent to storage in USMC Logistics Base Barstow. And the ones in the trailer, mostly his USMC stuff, would be temporarily sent to Pendleton.

Brian then got his Mitsubishi started up and drove to the party. He was told that Campos was currently busy, so he took up a game of pool. When he was around 14-15, his con artist mom had taught him to play pool. And also how to lose without losing money. Brian would sometimes visit the pool halls with a fake ID and then engage in a game, and also after getting out of juvie, before going to LA. If he won, evertyhing was okay, but if he lost, there was still no problem. She had told him to check the men's room windows first. So if back then sometimes he lost a game, he just climbed out of a window and left without paying. Yeah, in the early 90's, things were still that easy. At least in a small place in desert, like Barstow.

He was currently playing a pool when he spotted Dom. He followed him to the bar stool.

"That's too bad about Dwight, having the Feds raid your house the same night you make the team." Dom remarked. "So unfortunate."

"I wish I could say I was surprised to see you here."

"What's to stop someone from telling them you're a cop?"

Brian shrugged. "Well, first I'm not really a cop, rather an informant. But probably the same thing that's keeping me from telling them why you're really here."

He looked up and met Dom's gaze. The other man smirked slightly and took a swig.

Campos came over and they exchanged greetings before they were led to a more secluded area. Campos asked about the car and Brian told him it would be ready. The three of them talked a bit, before Campos left. A bit later, Brian also left, but not before stealing a shot glass.

* * *

The next morning, after dropping the shot class off to Sophie, Brian got back into his Mitsubishi. Sure enough, the directions to the meeting point had already downloaded. He had to get to 985 South Seaside Ave.

On the way here, he fished out his cellphone and made a call to the Sergeant Major.

"Hey Paul, I'm leaving for the rendezvous point now. Which means I could end up in Mexico today already."

"Alright. We'll trace your cell, and we'll stay behind unless you really are in trouble."

However, just as Brian got to the warehouse and saw the guys scanning for bugs, he suddenly heard a beeping. He looked around and saw that there was a tracker mounted in his console. _Damn Feds, can't even trust them. If they really need to keep an eye on me, can't they trace my cell instead? _Most certainly they must have had planted it there when Brian was inside giving the shot glass to Sophie. And to think that they were really dense, and did not think that having a tracker planted in his car would get him killed. _Fucking dumbasses._ Braga's goons had nearly made it to his car, when he suddenly dropped it in a can of soda he had in his cupholder.

Then they were loaded into the back of a truck and moved across the border to Mexico.

As they drove to the drop-off point, where a Hummer stood, reminding Brian of the Humvee he had driven in Afghanistan, Fenix stopped his Torino. Dom and the other two drivers also parked their cars and exited them. While the goons weren't looking at him, Brian dialed Paul's number, before a goon banged on the top of his Mitsubishi. Then he got out.

One of the drivers was whining about the goons touching him, until Fenix chose to aim his gun at him.

"Hey, boss man." Dom suddenly said.

"What did you say?" Fenix now stepped towards Dom.

"I said only pussies run nitrometh."

"You looked under my hood?" Dom did not answer that, so Fenix flared at him. "I'm talking to you. Got something on your mind?"

"'70 Plymouth. Her name was Letty. And somebody wrecked her car."

"I wrecked her car. You remember her face? Huh? 'Cause l don't. Last time l saw it, it was burning." Then Fenix smirked. "Now what?"

"I'm gonna enjoy what happens next."

Just then, they heard some hovering. The next second Dom's car exploded, creating a chain reaction with the other three cars. Then they spotted a UH-1N Twin Huey, carrying five Marines. Two of them were manning the miniguns on the sides, taking out Braga's goons. Then it flew over Brian's head and Paul dropped a M16A4 from there, which Brian grabbed and used to take out several of Braga's goons. Joe descended from the chopper to assist Brian, and after a lengthy gunfight, the goons were taken out. But just then, Brian heard sirens approaching.

The helicopter was about to descend, but Brian suddenly thought a bit. "Leave us here." he told Paul. "We're taking the Humvee, so that we'll get some ammunition to use against Braga."

"Roger that." The helicopter now took off. Brian, Dom and Joe got into the Hummer and drove back to the tunnel, and through that back to U.S.

They stopped somewhere past Chula Vista, where Brian fished out his phone.

"I need to call the Feds. I'm not officially on their payroll, but they're probably flipping out after they lost contact with me at the warehouse." He dialed a number and was "greeted" by Penning's harsh voice.

"Talk to me, O'Conner. Where the hell have you been?"

"I got the shipment."

"I got the shipment? Or, "we got the shipment"?"

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"I've been in contact with the Feds in the San Diego area, and their local traffic cams have picked up pictures of you and Toretto together. Listen to me, O'Conner. Bring in the shipment, and bring in Toretto."

Penning was very lucky that he wasn't standing next to Brian right now. Because the moment he said "Bring in Toretto", Brian had the desire to kill him with the worst and most painful MCMAP technique. "I thought the point was to get Braga. We've got an opportunity here."

"Brian, the clocked stopped ticking." _That's O'Conner for you, _Brian thought. He would not allow this asshole to call him by his first name. Heck, in the whole FBI, Sophie was the only exception. "Bring them in. Are we clear?"

Brian had stopped listening, but Joe had overheard it all and now he snatched the phone from Brian. "O'Conner?" he heard Penning's voice booming through the phone.

"Now you listen to me, you son of a bitch!" Joe yelled angrily. "I heard exactly what you said. Well, I'm not going to tolerate you trying to order my boy O'Conner to bring in Toretto, if he does not want to do it. So you... did I allow you to cut in? You try to blackmail O'Conner into bringing in Toretto again and I'm going to have the bitch scumbag that you are shipped to Parris Island to become the shooting target for the newest recruits of the USMC and then have your corrupt office investigated. Did you understand... What a fucking idiot, he hung up." Joe turned back to Brian, who had spotted a trail of blood near the Hummer, leading to the back of it.

Dom was standing there, examining what the plastic cases. "So this is what $60 million looks like."

"Yeah. We need to get you to a doctor."

"We got to find a place to hide this." Dom cut in.

Brian thought for a moment. He couldn't use his trailer, because Penning might probably have some Feds staking it out. He couldn't use any Marine base, because there the Feds would come looking. But their own impound lot? They did not trust Brian and thought that Brian also didn't trust them enough to bring the car to their impound lot. "I got a spot." He said and they took off towards LA.

They eventually arrived at the impound lot. "502, wet reckless. I need a 48-hour hold."

The guard didn't really look like he cared about Brian not being an official agent. "Out back, any spot you can find."

"You sure about this?" Dom asked as they drove in the impound.

"Yeah. The last place they'll check? Their own impound yard. Trust me."

As they exited the Hummer, Brian got another thought. "You know, I've been thinking. When you blew up your car there, you blew up mine too."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, so now you owe me a ten-second car."

"Is that right?"

"Yeah."

Dom walked over to a Subaru Impreza WRX STi and smashed the window. "Now we're even."

They drove to Signal Hill to a safehouse Dom had rented. Brian called Paul to give him the sitrep, before calling Mia, saying that they needed help with Dom.

* * *

A bit later, they heard a knock on the door. Joe opened the door with his M16A4 ready. "How may I help you, ma'am?" he asked.

Brian looked at the door and saw Mia standing there. "Let her in, Joe."

Mia stepped into the safehouse, past the Marine Sergeant and then turned to Brian. "Is this your way of keeping me away from him?"

"You were the only one I could call."

"He's my brother, of course I'd come. But I'm surprised that you didn't call your Marine medics."

Brian just shrugged and picked up his M16A4, before leaving outside with Joe to give Mia space to tend on Dom. Being quite hungry, he then called for takeout.

Eventually, after some time, the delivery guy arrived with some Chinese food. Brian and Joe went inside and prepared the table. The Toretto siblings joined them at the table.

"You want some of this?" Mia asked.

"Yeah."

"It's spicy."

"I like it hot." Dom simply grabbed it.

"Dom, what are you doing?" After Dom threw her a dumbfounded look, she quickly explained. "You reached first, you have to say grace."

"Thank you, Lord, for blessing this table. With food, family and friendship." Dom simply said and they all started to eat.

A bit later, Dom left towards the end of the shack and Joe got back to guard, while Brian and Mia stayed behind at the table.

"You asked me why l let Dom go." Brian began. "l think it's because at that moment, l respected him more than l did myself."

"Yeah?"

"One thing l learned from Dom is that nothing really matters unless you have a code."

"And what's your code, Brian?"

"I'm working on it."

Then his phone started ringing and he glanced to the screen. _Letty_.

"Shit." Brian now saw Dom stalking towards him. "Hey Dom."

"When were you gonna tell me?" Dom asked harshly.

"Dom, what are you doing?" Mia asked.

"When were you gonna tell me you were running Letty?" Dom ignored his sister and lashed out on Brian.

"Let me explain.." Brian began, but Dom had already assaulted him. "Joe, whatever happens, stay out of it!" he yelled loud enough.

After a bit of a fight, Brian finally managed to calm Dom down. "She did it for you, Dom! She did it for you! Letty came to me to clear your name in exchange for bringing down Braga. She just wanted you to come home!"

Dom now released Brian and walked to the back of the shack again.

"l'm sorry, Dom! l'm sorry!" Brian said and left the trailer with Joe, to give Dom room to cool down.

The two Marines sat outside for a while, looking at the night sky, before Dom came out. After a discussion, Dom's anger finally began to cool down and they were no longer fighting. Joe, meanwhile, left for Pendleton, where Paul and Colin were already waiting.

* * *

The next morning, Brian went to the FBI building. He didn't want to, but he still need to tell Penning and other assholes how they were currently doing on Braga case.

Looked like Penning did not want Brian there. "You better have one hell of an explanation. You disobeyed a direct order. "Where's the shipment?"

"lt's safe."

"lt's safe." Penning scoffed.

"Look, we could use the shipment to parade in front of the media, get a few hundred pounds of heroin off the street, but Braga's just gonna send another shipment next week and the week after that."

"Let's use the shipment to lure Braga out and lop the head off a multi-billion dollar cartel."

"And how do you suggest we do that?"

"A hand-to-hand exchange with Braga."

"He'll never show."

"He can't afford not to."

"You got a plan?"

"There's a price. We bag Braga, you let Toretto walk."

Brian heard Stasiak scoff in the background and wanted to teach him MCMAP 101: Handling the massive pain inflicted on you by a 3rd degree black belt Marine.

Looked like Penning wasn't also quite okay with that plan. He still wouldn't forgive Brian the rant from Joe he had to survive last night. But looked like he did not want to take the MCMAP module, so he just stayed silent.

"Look." Brian began. "There was no evidence from the heists ten years ago. The last trucker didn't testify because he didn't want to be charged for having a loaded weapon in the truck. Only Toretto's own crew got hurt. While the drugs Braga are sending kill thousands every week. Decide yourself, who's more dangerous?"

Penning hated the situation he was currently in, that Brian had the upper hand with the shipment and wouldn't even tell them. But he found no way to take control himself, so he caved. "Fine. I'll have the charges dropped on him, but if he does something again, I'm raining hell down on him. And if you try to intervene, I'll tamper with your records to have you get 25 to life in San Quentin. Now go and have the deal set up. But if you fuck it up, your ass is on the line too."

* * *

Brian went to the house on Kensington Ave, where Dom was setting up a deal with Gisele. After seeing that the deal was set up, he notified Penning about the deal. And as the night fell, Brian, Dom and the Feds arrived at the rendezvous point. There, Brian spotted his least favorite person. Stasiak. While the Feds took up their positions, Brian and Dom moved over to the Hummer.

"Well, the good news is when we get this guy, you walk out of here a free man."

"ls that what they told you?" Dom asked.

"Yeah, that's the deal."

"You still put milk and cookies out for Santa Claus?"

"Yeah. Here." Brian handed the Subaru's keys to Dom. "ln case things go shitty."

"Just like old times?"

"Yeah."

Just then Fenix arrived in his Torino. "You dropped something. That's what you wanted, right?"

Just then, Campos came out of the second car and told Fenix to stand down before turning to Brian and Dom. "He's harmless. Don't worry about him. And he's really sorry about Letty. Now where's our stuff?"

"You mean the stuff that used to be in here, right?" Brian showed him the empty locker. "Well, you'll see it when we see Braga. That was the deal."

"No worries. Braga keeps his word."

The older man got out of the other car and tossed them a bag. "$2 million. You get the rest when l get my property."

Brian thought for a moment before turning to Braga. "I got a question for you. You wearing pink when you were clawing your way out of el barrio?"

The older guy cocked his head to the side. "You thinking what I'm thinking, right?" Brian asked Dom.

"He ain't Braga." Dom said.

But just then, the SWAT team came rushing in. Brian yelled Dom to get away from scene, before realizing something. "Campos is Braga!"

But it was too late. Campos/Braga had already got in Fenix's car and they escaped from the scene. They tried to run Gisele over, but Dom saved her and they got into the Subaru and escaped.

Brian let the SWAT guys to deal with the older man and drove away in the Hummer, cursing Stasiak every possible way he could. He really shouldn't have trusted the Feds to deal with it, rather should have talked to Paul and deal with Braga the Marine way. Stasiak had been so damn greedy and everything, just trying to be better than Brian in that one. The prick should have waited for confirmation from him or Sophie, rather than moving in before the signal.

Man, if Brian ever saw this motherfucker again, he'd rather skip MCMAP 101 and jump to MCMAP 187: The worst, slowest and most painful possible death by MCMAP coming from a black-belt Marine.

Now he had to go to the office for a rant from the superiors.

Some hours later, Brian found himself in the office with Penning, Stasiak, Sophie and an Assistant Director who's name he didn't know with a Supervisory Special Agent. Yeah, he was dressed quite informally, with his dress uniforms all in storage, but he didn't care a single damn about it.

"He was under your nose the whole time." The AD began his rant. "Now Braga's escaped. Toretto's heading south, probably long across the border by now. Do you have any idea the kind of trouble you're in, O'Conner?"

"l was doing my job." Brian tried to defend himself.

"He ain't the first bad guy you helped escape the law's grasp. As of now, until this house can mount a formal inquiry, we don't need your services anymore. It's too late today, but tomorrow morning at 11 AM you'll be shipped back to Miami with the Bureau's jet. The other choice for you is 15 in Folsom, as it's the second time you're guilty of aiding and abetting a wanted criminal, and obstruction of justice."

"What about Braga?"

"That's no longer your concern." The AD with SSA now left the room.

"We now know where Braga is, right?" Brian asked.

"Customs tracked him via satellite to his home base in Tecali, Mexico." Sophie helped him.

"Mexico is out of our jurisdiction." Penning muttered. "The fact is the brass will be so busy holding press conferences over the seizure, we'll skate under the radar."

"l thought we signed on to do the right thing."

"Look, I don't trust you, O'Conner, and neither do the other agents here. It's obvious. But since you got time until 11 AM, I'm giving you a chance. If by then you get Braga back to the States, I'll talk to the superiors and you and Toretto will be cleared of all the shit. But if you fail to make the deadline, it's your ass on the line. And you're not an official agent, so you're in deeper shit."

"Seriously?" Stasiak scoffed. "I think O'Conner is just a piece of street trash, who should be thrown to jail alongside Toretto!"

"You know what, Stasiak? Shut up unless you want me to practice MCMAP on you. It would have been easy to catch Braga right there, but you did not wait for the signal and went too early."

"Knock it off!" Penning intervened. "Alright, O'Conner. You get your last chance to bring Braga back. You may leave now, but remember, you must stick to the deadline."

Brian left the conference room, but then was followed by Sophie.

"So you're officially leaving?" she asked.

"Yeah. I'm not officially on their payroll, and that gives them more ammo to make my life miserable."

"It wasn't your fault. Stasiak went and fucked it up."

"Yes, but my record's against me. Even if I get cleared, I don't want to be their puppet. I failed as a cop ten years ago, and I still don't think the other, real agents would trust me."

"I'll still miss you."

"I miss you too, couldn't wish for a better friend. I wish things weren't that way, but I can't change it. Well, good luck."

Sophie then hugged Brian and gave him a small goodbye kiss.

"Take care. And if things really go totally downhill, you may want to rejoin your Marine Corps."

"I'll think about it. Thank you." Brian now left and drove back to Echo Park. He saw Dom working there on the Charger.

"Everyone's looking for you."

"l'm right here."

Brian looked at the engine. "lt's nice to see you've gone with the times and switched to electronic fuel injection. Looks good."

"Buster became a gearhead."

"l'm going with you."

"l don't plan on bringing anyone back."

"l know."

Some time later, after they've been working for a few minutes, Brian saw Mia looking into the garage at them, before disappearing into the house. This was his chance. He really needed to clear the air with her too.

„How do you say goodbye to your only brother?" Mia asked Brian.

„You don't." Brian said and kissed her before pulling back. The next second, Mia suddenly kissed him back, and then he lifted her on the counter.

After a bit of a kissing, Brian pulled back and got to thinking. Could he really do that to her? However, just then his iPhone rang. It was Joe.

„What's up, Joe?" Brian asked the Sergeant.

„Your place is all over the news." Joe said. „The LAFD has just arrived on the scene, when the trailer was in flames. But Dwight's body was not found, which means he probably escaped."

„Damn, and I always thought he was extremely dense, but there you go."

"Don't worry. He's still on the other side of LA, and he'd have to be extremely lucky to make it back to Braga's."

"Okay. Well, tomorrow Dom and I are going after Braga in Tecali, Mexico, and could do with some air support. Tell Paul about it."

"Roger that."

* * *

Tomorrow morning at 4 AM, Brian woke up and after a quick Marine breakfast, he and Dom got on the way. Brian called Paul to inform him about it. And just as Brian and Dom were near San Diego, the Huey took off from MCAS Pendleton with the same three NCOs.

There the two of them met up with Gisele. "l thought you weren't gonna show up." Dom said.

"You saved my life. I'm willing to return the favor." She said as she handed Dom a paper. This will help get you to Braga." Dom just took it, but she wouldn't let go. "Dom, going in there is suicide."

"l have no choice."

"You must have loved her very much. Viya con dias." She now drove off.

Long story short, Brian and Dom eventually arrived in Mexico.

With his Marine stealth skills, Brian and Dom snuck inside the church.

"You ain't forgiven." Dom muttered and aimed the shotgun at Braga.

"You boys want to arrest me?"

"No, we're beyond that." Brian said and glanced at the door.

"You can't buy your way out of this one." Dom told Braga.

"You and me. You and me, we're not so different. You're no hero." Braga tried to demotivate Dom.

"You're right. And that's why you're going back across the border." Dom mentioned and allowed Brian to cuff Brian. "But Fenix is mine."

"You got it." Brian now pulled Braga to his feet and forced him into the Subaru's front seat. Dom followed closely behind with his shotgun ready in case Braga's boys would come early.

Once they were on the road again, Brian called Paul, saying that they had picked Braga up and were now heading towards the border.

They had made it out of the town, when Paul called Brian. "Brian, looks like Braga's boys saw he's gone. You should pick up the speed."

"Got ya. Any chance of air evac?"

"Sorry, Brian. We forgot to fill up, and the fuel's quite low already. Shit, it looks like they're on the move."

Braga had also heard that and now started to laugh sadistically. "You'll make it a couple of miles out if you're lucky."

But Paul also heard it. "Unfortunately he's quite right. Take a right turn, you're better off going to the desert and hitting the tunnels."

Braga chuckled as Brian turned right. "You still know where you're going? Want to borrow my GPS?"

"Where are your boys at?" Brian asked. "Are they gonna show up or what?"

Just then, they were surrounded by gunfire. "Careful what you ask for." Braga laughed. "Just stop. Just stop the car."

However, the other Marines would not let Brian die under a bulletstorm. Colin and Joe put the miniguns to work and took out quite many of Braga's goons' cars.

"Dom, let's head to the tunnel. Let's use the tunnel."

"You sure you know where the tunnels are? You sure?" Braga asked..

"Yeah. l'd hold on, this might hurt." Brian now drove to the tunnels.

"You're in my world now, baby!"

Some time later, they came to a fork and Brian, now knowing which one was right, just chose one. Which was wrong as he was now heading towards a solid rock wall.

"That's it, baby!" Braga laughed at it. End of the road. Now what? Game over."

"No, no, no," Brian chanted before slamming through a wood wall. However, just the next second he had to swerve to avoid a pillar, which allowed another car to t-bone his car and send him crashing through the barrier.

After a long flip, the car finally came to a halt. But the next moment, Fenix arrived in his green Torino. The Marine had made it out of the car, but Fenix just kicked him and helped Braga out of the car, before turning his attention back to the Marine.

However, just then, they heard an explosion and saw a Camaro flying out of the tunnel. Fenix fired at it, but then tried to run. But the Marine wouldn't allow this. He grabbed Fenix's legs and held him in place, before jumping out of the way at the very last moment as Dom ran the Camaro straight into Fenix, killing him instantly.

"Pussy." Dom muttered as he stepped out of the car and tended to Brian. „Let me see that. Yeah, just keep pressure there, you'll be all right."

Just then, they both heard the sirens approaching. „You gotta get out of here." Brian said.

„I ain't running anymore. Besides, didn't they teach you in the Marines that nobody gets left behind?"

„Yeah, but you weren't a Marine."

„Who cares?" Dom asked.

„I gotta ask you something."

„Yeah?"

„You know I would have won that race if you didn't cheat, right?"

„You hit your head hard, don't make me laugh."

However, the sirens started to approach, and soon enough, the goddamn Feds arrived on the scene. The assholes Brian wanted to see the least. He barely heard the Huey circling around, which now slowly started to land.

Just then, Brian saw his least favorite person approach. Stasiak, with three other agents. „Toretto, you're under arrest." he said and pulled Dom up.

Dom didn't resist at all. „Watch out, asshole. Your buddy O'Conner, no matter if he's a Fed or not, would so kick your ass for this."

Stasiak now led Dom back towards the sedan, and then suddenly burst out laughing. „Who gives a fuck about O'Conner? And, he ain't my buddy. He's a disloyal, unintelligent, trigger-happy, four-flushing leatherneck jarhead, just like all the others."

„You got a problem with the United States Marine Corps?" Stasiak turned around and was facing the Sergeant Major. He left Dom to the other two agents, who now put him in the car, before turning to Paul.

„What the fuck? I think you should watch out whom you're talking to. I'm a goddamn federal agent, a real one with the required bachelor's degree, unlike your boyfriend O'Conner who's very dense and had barely graduated high school and is a fucking killer Marine!" Stasiak pulled back his hand and attempted to punch Paul in the jaw.

However, he clearly wasn't the brightest person around, having not learned his lesson from Brian, who had a 3rd degree black belt in MCMAP, and just went against the 5th degree black belt Marine. Paul effortlessly dodged Stasiak's very futile attack by twisting his arm and responded with a very powerful counter-attack by punching Stasiak seven times and tossing him hard on the ground.

„You ungrateful dummies, we let assholes like you train at Quantico, which is our base after all, and this is how you repay us, with all this disloyalty? Fuck you." Paul spat on Stasiak as he lied there on the ground in massive pain, even worse than the pain Brian was in.

Paul now ran back to Brian. „Alright, every Fed get at least one hundred yards away from my man O'Conner or things are gonna get ugly!"

Seeing how hard Paul had put Stasiak down, no Fed thought of resisting and instead everyone backed off. Two Navy Corpsmen from the chopper rushed over to Brian and loaded him on a stretcher. They carried him to the Huey with Paul following them and took off to Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center 29 Palms.

* * *

Mia sat alone in the empty Echo Park house, still wondering how her brother and lover were doing. Would they return alive or in body bags? Did she and Brian have a future together after last night? Just then, she heard the doorbell ring.

She opened the door and saw Joe there, clutching his M16A4 heavily in his hands with the M32 MGL grenade launcher slung behind his back. „Paul sent me here."

„Let me guess, they're dead."

„No. In fact, your brother is very much alive, but sadly, the Feds have him in their custody. However, as for Brian, he was gravely injured and he's hanging on a thread. But he was still saved and is currently being taken to 29 Palms by chopper."

„Can I come and see him, or is it strictly for the Corps?"

„Of course you can. Get in the chopper."

Mia now followed Joe to the nearby Dodger Stadium, where the Huey had just landed. They boarded the chopper and took off to 29 Palms.

In an hour, Joe and Mia arrived in 29 Palms and rushed over to Paul and Colin, who were waiting there, looking extremely angry with their M16A4s resting against the wall.

„I swore to myself that if Brian would die, I'll talk to Colonel Harper and have him sue the FBI LA office. But now I'm considering suing them even if he survives, which is very likely to happen." Paul said.

Mia, Joe, Paul and Colin were now talking about Brian's service years to pass the time.

Many hours and stories later, they saw Penning approaching. Paul was the first to react. He grabbed his M16A4 and walked in front of Penning, blocking his path, while Joe angrily grabbed his grenade launcher and aimed it at Penning, not allowing him to enter Brian's ward.

„Feds are not welcome around here. Get out." Paul hissed angrily.

„Look, I'm just here to see how O'Conner is doing."

„And it's none of your concern. If it wasn't for you, he wouldn't be in this situation."

„Is it too hard for you just to let me see O'Conner?"

„Yes, it is hard. And FYI, he's doing fine, no thanks to you. Now get out and don't ever set your foot here again or I'll take care that no Fed could ever train at Quantico anymore, as the Academy is on our territory after all. And then I'm gonna sue the LA office."

„Come on, drop it. Just let me see O'Conner."

„Why should I let you? I know damn well you only are interested in how he's doing just to maintain your reputation and position as the head asshole of the office, and deep down in your heart you don't actually give a fuck if O'Conner lives or dies. Now fucking beat it."

This finally seemed to have an effect, as Penning then turned around and left the base.

Two days later, Brian eventually woke up and was released from the hospital. He was quite worried about Dom getting caught, but Paul assured him that there would be time to deal with Dom.

* * *

A week later, Brian found himself in the courtroom with Mia, Paul, Colin and Joe at Dom's trial. Luckily Penning or Stasiak hadn't showed up, at which he smiled.

"l've listened to the testimony and taken into special consideration Brian O'Conner's appeal of clemency on behalf of Mr. Toretto. That his actions directly resulted in the apprehension of known drug trafficker Arturo Braga." The judge said and Brian sighed with relief for a moment. "However, this judiciary finds that one right does not make up for a lifetime worth of wrongs. And as such, l find that l am forced to level the maximum sentence under California law. Dominic Toretto, you are hereby sentenced to serve at the Lompoc maximum security prison system without the possibility of early parole. This court is adjourned."

Brian gnashed his teeth in anger. He had the deepest desire to go and murder Stasiak. Maybe it would make him feel better. But he eventually decided against it. After all, there was Plan B.

Some hours later, as the bus was making its way towards Lompoc, Brian and Mia were chasing it with the rebuilt Charger and NSX, respectively, with the Marines covering them in Huey. And while Mia failed to flip the bus, Brian still blocked the road with the Charger and that was enough to make the bus flip.

* * *

**A/N: Alright, looks like you're in luck. Chapter 7 came quite fast. If you wanted a Brian/Mia scene, then sorry, but I decided to scrap it for some reason. Which actually sucks as I'm totally a Bria fan -.- However, I'll suggest reading Spyridon's story "Light of Your Deepest Devotion" for that (over at LiveJournal, LJ name: lord-spyridon).**

**Chapter 8 is going to take longer. Sorry.**


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